She's (almost) always on the list

Celebs Choo-se Jimmy

Tue., Jan. 15, 2008 3:55 PM PST by Cristina Gibson

Nancy Kaszerman/ZUMAPress.com

RSVPs: Angie Harmon, Lisa Kudrow, Debra Messing...
When: Jan. 11
Where: Jimmy Choo, Rodeo Drive

A girl can never have too many pairs of shoes...or Choos! Tonight is the Jimmy Choo Rodeo Drive flagship store launch, and I'm expecting quite the turnout. I pull up to the valet stand right as the evening's hostess, Angie Harmon, is getting out of her silver Range Rover. Looks like I'm right on time!

Jordin Althaus/WireImage.com

Tight Squeeze: Paparazzi are already waiting outside, and inside, the store is jam-packed with celebs and partygoers. There's no red carpet, so reporters are trying to conduct interviews over the din of the deejay's music, while photographers snap away. All this chaos calls for a drink...good thing waiters are circling with glasses of Veuve Clicquot champagne!

I spot Lauren Conrad and ask her how many pairs of shoes she owns. "Last time I counted, it was like 60," she tells me. Impressive, but I bet someone here can top that. Sure enough, the next person I talk to has Lauren beat. Debra Messing tells me, after consulting with her hubby, Daniel Zelman, she's got more than 100 pairs. Debra also dishes that if she had to pick one pair of footwear for the rest of her life, it'd be boots.

Donata Sardella/WireImage.com

Meanwhile, avid shoe collector Harmon waxes about the brand. "They’re for every age," she says. "You can be 50 years old and come in here, you can be 75 and come in here, you can be 23 and come in here, and there’s not a pair that you wouldn’t wear.” (There's not a pair I can afford either, but that's another story.)

Bites and Bits: Toward the back of the store, Lisa Kudrow goes for a caviar hors d'oeuvre being passed by Patina caterers, while Messing munches on a wild mushroom tartlet. Audrina Patridge arrives just as Lauren's leaving and chats with Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, who's totally slimmed down since giving birth to twins in October. Who knew they were friends?

One reporter dares to ask stylist Rachel Zoe if she has any well wishes for former client and friend Nicole Richie, who's just given birth. Apparently, she does not. Not even a "congrats"? Meow!

Paul Fenton/KAP/ZUMAPress.com

Party's Over: The small store is getting even more packed as Giuliana Rancic arrives with hubby Bill. Red carpet reporters Lisa Rinna and Shaun Robinson also have the night off from working and instead work the crowd.

But the space has gotten a little too crowded, and we reporters are asked to go cool our heels outside until some people clear out. That's my cue to head for the valet...empty-handed, I might add. I'm sad to say that no gift bags were given out containing gratis shoes.

Hey, a girl can dream, right?