The tall prince, an imperious presence with improbably high cheekbones and a vaguely French accent, offered the Socialist his assessments of San Francisco style over a cocktail at Mecca one chilly night in November.

"Very civilized," he said with grave authority in an undertaker-gray Yves Saint Laurent suit and black shirt. "Not like the New York women, who can be very aggressive. Here, the women are much more sophisticated in their tastes. They have great style."

Taste, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder, and Dimitri of Yugoslavia—Sotheby's alum, perennial bachelor, and New York social fixture turned jewelry designer—benefited from a vetted vista. In town for a trunk show at Neiman's, he had an unofficial tour guide in Denise Hale, who had thrown a lunch and dinner in his honor.

His reception underscored the fact that nothing gets people out of bed like fashion, and for far less than $10,000, Linda Evangelista notwithstanding. And the past month's calendar seemed devoted to matters of style: the arrival of Rose Marie Bravo, CEO of Burberry and retailing legend, who at one time ran I. Magnin before moving on to helm Saks Fifth Avenue, and designer Narciso Rodriguez (who rocketed to fame after he dressed Carolyn Bessette Kennedy for her wedding). Bravo came for the reopening of the Burberry store on Post Street, and plans for her one day in town included a lunch hosted by Hale and attended by Dorrit Moussaieff, the wife of the president of Iceland; Ed Hardy, the antiques dealer; Ann Getty; and Jo Schuman Silver. Lunch segued into a blowout at the store, at which the Bronx-born Bravo arrived in an eye-catching gold lamé trench. The event was packed (over 400 guests) with the glam crowd, including Soledad Thieriot and Victoire Reynal (a former fashion editor for Tatler and Harpers & Queen), who came decked in pieces from the label's high-end Prorsum collection. A dinner for 24 followed, held in a private dining room at Postrio, courtesy of Vanessa Getty. The elegant affair, held at one long dining table, brought out an equally long list of VIPs: John Peace, CEO of GUS, the conglomerate that owns Burberry; young Hollywood producer Jason Blum (in town working on The Darwin Awards, a film starring Winona Ryder); Third Eye Blind singer Stephan Jenkins; and Melanie Ellison (wife of Larry).

Two weeks later, Rodriguez, who dressed Vanessa for her wedding five years ago, received a similar hero's welcome. Cocktails with Getty's friends one night at her home were followed by a jointly hosted (with Neiman Marcus) dinner the following night at Tommy Toy's. Among those air-kissing in the upscale Chinese restaurant's dimly lit (good lighting for

all!), clublike atmosphere were author Robert Mailer Anderson and his wife, Nicola Miner (daughter of Oracle cofounder Robert); Kathy Kolesti, Rodriguez's business partner; John Capizzi, the new GM of Neiman's S.F.; Maryann
Opperman (Vanessa's mother); as well as several of the luxe retailer's best clients.

Surprisingly, for someone versed in the machinations of the carriage trade, Rodriguez seemed reserved and circumspect before the assault of well-wishing strangers. He listened graciously and attentively, even as one gal introduced herself, pelted him with a list of society names, and ended with a request for restaurant recommendations. Perhaps sensing a social 911, his business partner asked him if he needed a quick smoke, whisking him off before the dinner started. He leapt at the offer.

As Rodriguez headed for his cigarette break, the Socialist broke through the reserve slightly. I reminded him of the first time we met, at a fashion awards after-party in a nightclub in New York's Chelsea district, among a gaggle of guys. He smiled. "That was in Ohm...There were a lot of people who got really drunk that night. And were you there when the one guy took off all his clothes?" he asked, laughing.

Umm, no comment.