Everybody loves Tom Ford

Tom Ford deliberately avoided the usual flashbulb frenzy at his private dinner and store celebration the other night. But that didn’t stop over 200 of Manhattan’s crème de la crème VIPs from coming out to get a sneak peek at the much ballyhooed-about flagship. In fact, the reassurance of a paparazzi-free affair, not to mention the absence of a red carpet, only seemed to bring out his admiring fans in droves, including the blockbuster foursome of Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Watts, Kate Hudson, and Julianne Moore. "Oh Tom, I'll never forget that red velvet tuxedo," sighed Paltrow, reminiscing back to the 1996 Gucci ensemble she donned for the MTV Video Music Awards. "Never mind past oufits," retorted a now visibly pregnant Watts. "I'm just glad I got to wear something loose and comfortable."