80s label relaunches with much fanfare

By Stephanie Burton

The ''quintessential cool'' of the 80s made an official come back last night as former editor and style expert Kelli Delaney relaunched MEMBERS ONLY at Henri Bendel on 5th Avenue.

Once perceived as an out-dated men's fad brand, Delaney debuted a spring '08 women's-only collection of tailored leather jackets, pastel hued nylon bomber jackets, feminine leather vests and a an assortment of sexy, mini, knit dresses.

The jackets retail around $950. Dresses come in under $400.

DJ Jacques Renault bumped house music and Patrick McMullen photographers prowled the store as MTV VJ Damien Fahey, 30 Rock's Katrina Borden, Legally Blonde star Laura Bell Bundy sipped champagne and checked out the goods.

Delaney, in a Cavalli dress and her own bomber jacket, was ecstatic about the turn out.

''The brand has so much authenticity,'' she said. ''I want to introduce the line to a generation of empowered, sexy women with a pop culture consciousness.''

Most recently the editor-in-chief of Celebrity Weekly and editorial alum of Allure, Glamour, Us Weekly and Star, Delaney used her experience to promote the brand on a multimedia platform.

In addition to online store, videos and a virtual flipbook, Delaney created and wrote a tabloid-esque ''catalog'' with an elaborate story line of fuax gossip.

''I want people to experience the brand without it being thrown down your throat,'' she said. ''The multimedia platform was really important to me.''

Her transition from magazine editor to fashion designer -- and the revival process of the brand itself -- happened at breakneck speed, beginning in September of last year.

''It's been an unbelievable whirlwind,' Dalaney said.

Adding to the evening's excitement was celebrity hairdresser Ken Paves, who worked at a frenzied pace in the front Bendel window, styling hordes of young women clutching boxes of Paves ''hairdo Clip-In Extensions.''

Friends from her days as an editor at Conde Nast, Delaney personally invited Paves to co-promote the evening's festivities.

''It's such an honor to be here,'' Paves said when he finally stepped away from a tangle of curling irons and hair extensions. ''I grew up in a town where a haircut cost $8. I never in a million years could have predicted this.''

The response to both MEMBERS ONLY and hairdo have been overwhelmingly positive. Paves counts Jessica Simpson and Eva Longoria among his many fans. Cameron Diaz recently scooped up Delaney’s gold bomber jacket, and reports from the Sundance Film Festival note Mary-Kate [Olsen] and Mischa Barton picked up items as well.

''I want to introduce the line to a generation of empowered, sexy women,'' Delaney said. ''This is for someone edgy and fun, a woman who takes her cues from Hollywood style stars.''

The men's relaunch is set for fall '08.

''I love, love the line,'' Paves said. ''I actually have some vintage Members Only jackets in my closet,''

Even as the party inside started to wind down, dozen of onlookers, many of them men, crowded against Bendel's glass window to get a closer look at Paves at work.

''I just want to make people feel good,'' he said as he caught his second wind. ''When they feel good, I feel good.''

The new MEMBERS ONLY line is available exclusively at Henri Bendel through the end of the week.

''I'm on the red eye to see Eva [Longoria],'' he said. ''We're going to the Spice Girls concert and I'm bringing some of Kelli's pieces with me. She's going to love them.''

For more photos of the event click here