Pierre Hardy Shows off Stellar Shoes at Victoria’s Secret Holiday Show In Miami

Heidi Steals the Show in Hardy’s Sexy Red Peep Toe Pumps

Welcome to the Thong Economy. This company is boldly letting it ride on Heidi Klum’s million-dollar smile and Adriana Lima’s considerable cleavage. And the Dow-fatigued guest list is simply loving it. What economic crisis? The only hubbub at this show was seating plan drama. Who gets to sit next to Seal and Sean Combs? What’s the furthest tangent we can seat Paris Hilton from ex-BFF Kim Kardashian?

“This show is about celebrating the future. We must celebrate beauty, even when times are tough. We have to be tough right back,” Klum tells me backstage. Obviously this is one modelpreneur who’s been media trained beyond, “Let them eat cake.” Brazilian stunner Adriana Lima put the show’s extravagance in an even cheekier perspective, “What are we supposed to do, wear cotton?”

Indeed, the Angel Ambassadors are right on message with how democratic Victoria’s Secret gift giving is designed to be. Aussie beauty Miranda Kerr quoted entry-level price points to me while crowd favorite Marissa Miller declared, “Who can’t afford to give their girlfriend a Victoria’s Secret Satin Robe - they start at $24! Anyone can enjoy a little luxury in the bedroom, all it take is one little gift and a lot of imagination.”

Canadian consumers will soon be able to live out role-playing fantasies in Victoria Secret dressing rooms. “We’ll be opening the first two Victoria Secret stores in Canada in the summer of 2009,” confirms CEO Sharen Turney, leader of this $5.5 billion brand. “We purchased La Senza in January 2007, so we’re very invested in the Canadian market.”

Budgeted at a little over a hefty $10 Million, the lingerie line’s remarkable holiday event features a full orchestra, a glitter-dusted runway, 35 of the most celebrated models in the world and performances by Usher. The show is the perennial “hot ticket” of the winter social calendar, with VS enthusiasts spending up to $25,000 on a single ticket. Inside, even A-Listers look relieved to finally be settled in. Martha Stewart and John Stamos manage to make the first row, while Aubrey O’Day is relegated to fifth row status. To get to my seat, I must practically climb over Debbie Harry, squeeze past Olympian Amanda Beard and eventually trip over Lenny Kravitz’s Cavalli shoes. As he catches me he laughs, “You golden?” which I assume translates to, “You okay?” Social surrealism, indeed.

The lights go down, the orchestra takes its place and Barack Obama’s acceptance speech mixes with Depeche Mode to make for an interesting opening track. An unseen announcer proclaims, “The glamour is back at the Fontainebleau.” The anticipation of something to be talked about for decades to come fills the room and the show begins.

Despite the nubile gene-candy on display, veteran supermodel Heidi Klum clearly steals the show, soliciting the most catcalls and applause. British stylist, Charlotte Stockdale, transforms the brand’s lingerie into a Utopian fantasy of glamour. She cleverly accessorizes with Vegas showgirl ruffles, Pierre Hardy stiletto heels, Swarovski crystals, gladiator body armor and of course, the wings - a beloved signature feature of the brand - made, as ever, by Martin Izquierdo. Stockdale’s key fashion themes: Glamour Goddess, Dangerous, The Moderns, Pink Planet, Ballet des Fleurs and Black tie Holiday.

Touches of fall season trends showed up in ombre patterns in sheer robes and a dramatic set of black and white wings. Jewel tones - especially amethyst - popped up in many of the more eye-catching pieces. Yet the basic formula of the mega-success show endures unchanged - merging the earthy Afro-Brazilian Carnival aesthetic with airy Christian angel wings. When worn by models with Nordic or Germanic morphology, this blockbuster trifecta of elements draws attention like no other holiday show.

In keeping with the Richard Branson-on-a-bender “big spender” theme, the showstopper elicited evangelical applause as Adriana Lima strut onto the catwalk wearing the Victoria’s Secret Black Diamond Fantasy Miracle Bra. Celebrity jeweler Martin Katz created this one-of-a-kind creation exclusively for the brand. Priced at $5 Million USD, the bra is set with 3,575 black diamonds, 117 certified 1-carat round diamonds and 34 rubies, with a piece de resistance of two lavish black diamond drops totaling 100 carats. Designed for maximum cleavage enhancement and adorned with nearly 3,900 stunning gems, the total carat weight is a whopping 1500 carats.

Bringing the show to a dramatic finale, Heidi Klum makes her way down the runway sporting a sky-high sparkly scarlet bow on her back, while dazzling red fireworks light up the night behind her. As I leave the venue, the response is unanimously favorable: “most accomplished show ever”, “brilliant execution”, and “utter perfection”. This is simply the most fun I’ve ever seen the perennially unimpressed A-List having. As crowds left the massive poolside tent housing the show, stars marveled at the 54-year-old Fontainebleau’s $1 billion reinvention and expansion.

“Jeff Soffer is simply extraordinary,” George Hamilton drawls as we dig into a plate piled high with stone crab claws. “He’s taken South Beach to a whole new level.” The Soffer family’s sprawling luxury hotel sits on 22 acres of primetime Collins Ave, featuring 11 restaurants and a 40,000-square-foot spa. James Caan reminds us that this was the playground of Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin and Judy Garland before he pats Hamilton on the back and saunters deeper into the venue.

In the ’60s, the Fontainebleau was a star-studded hive of infamous misbehavin’. Frank Sinatra lit up the nightclub and never missed a chance to take the ladies upstairs to enjoy the, ahem, impressive views from his suite. Sean Connery cut the male silhouette of the decade when he swam in the hotel’s iconic pool in Goldfinger. Architect Morris Lapidus‘ voluptuous masterpiece was an instant hit with JFK, Marilyn Monroe and Elvis - and with the Rat Pack entertaining in the lounge; this was the crown jewel of Miami Beach.

After the show, the couture crowd streams into Liv nightclub, tucked in steps away from the pool. I notice Hollywood types are much more inebriated than usual; for the entire opening week, hotelier Jeff Soffer hosts a cashless society - staff will not accept money, whether you order steak frites at brunch or your 7th specialty mojito at the pool. The impressive gesture of going through with an event of this magnitude in such a dire economic climate certainly had the guest list talking.

Tonight, Liv is the perfect backdrop for guests like Project Runway’s Christian Siriano in a silky green shirt to Terrance Howard showing off a throwback fedora. Proenza Schouler-esque skintight dresses are on everyone from Sarah Larsen to Amanda Bynes. I spot photographer Bruce Weber and Chloe Sevigny chatting up Donald Pliner and Alexander Wang. X Men Director Brett Ratner cozies up to Robert Duvall; the duo sips champagne atop a circular, glowing floor - a new kind of Miami Modern tableau.

Alexander Rodriguez partied until 4 AM with his all-male posse, curious that many women tried - and failed - to penetrate his tribe. The night before, A-Rod, Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson relaxed in a private booth while Mariah Carey’s performance brought down the house for the hotel’s opening gala. A-Rod and Madonna-loyalist Paltrow made for the photo op of the weekend, in a red carpet snap that circled the globe in mere minutes.

Toward the end of the night, I run into Ed Razek, the show’s executive producer, and offer my congratulations. “It went off without a hitch. It’s the most watched fashion show in the world — and the most expensive,” exclaims Razek. “But it’s worth it - we showcase some of the best talent in the world. And we need to celebrate that more than ever this holiday season.”

The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show will air on Wednesday, December 3rd (10:00 PM-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS.

Si Si Penaloza is the Editorial Director of Woman.ca, ShoeMinx.com and TheDailyPump.com