HEAVY LUNCH: The rain and blustery weather didn’t stop an Oscar-worthy pool of stars from coming out in Los Angeles on Friday to support V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women. Hosted by feminist playwright Eve Ensler and Glamour, the luncheon at the Four Seasons hotel was full of celebrities like Anne Hathaway, Anne Archer, Charlize Theron, Kerry Washington, Camryn Manheim, Jessica Alba, Maria Bello, Rosario Dawson, Hollywood heavyweights Sherry Lansing and Pamela Wagner and an even more head-turning surprise guest: California First Lady Maria Shriver. The annual luncheon spotlights a particular issue of violence against women; this year’s focus was rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the event honored Dr. Denis Mukwege, winner of the U.N. Human Rights Prize for his work to heal the women of Congo. The subject matter kept most attendees from touching their meals. “People were just pushing food around on their plates; this is so heavy but so important,” Hathaway said. “I’m actually stepping outside to get a drink.” Theron was introduced to Ensler through the U.N., and said she was planning an education and outreach trip through Africa at the end of March. But the star power wasn’t the weightiest thing in the room. “I assume you guys are digesting a lot more than the meal,” Dawson said to guests after Mukwege spoke. — Anne Riley-Katz



POSITIVE THINKING: Despite the economic dark cloud looming over New York Fashion Week, Vanity Fair fashion and style director Michael Roberts and Roberto Cavalli remained optimists at the Friday book signing for “Fighters and Flowers,” a photo book shot by Roberts of Brazilian martial artists wearing looks by Cavalli. In between signing books for guests including Eva Chow, Padma Lakshmi, Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo, Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza and In Style managing editor Ariel Foxman, Cavalli said business at his nightclub in Florence is OK (a club in Dubai is due to open but does not have a confirmed date), and hoped people would seek out adult playtime to help ease concerns over the economy. “[The world is in] a little bit of a crisis,” said Cavalli. “I feel that when you have such a moment, the best medicine for crisis is to have fun.” Meanwhile, Roberts reflected on fashion’s resilience in times of recession, pointing to designers Alexander McQueen and John Galliano who flourished during Britain’s financial woes in the Eighties and early Nineties. “I’ve been through so many recessions,” the British editor said. “In a funny way recessions are a new thing in this country. There’s always been a bounty of prosperity and good times, and so it’s kind of a bit of a shock here when this happens. However, England has survived for years and years and years as a victim of a recession. Recessions bring out the best in people, bring out the spirit of competition against the odds. And out of recessions come great things.” — Stephanie D. Smith