“As a designer, I am blown away,” said Donna Karan last night, after making the rounds at “The First Eighteen,” a showcase of work by the inaugural group of 18 students (ages 24 to 31) in Parsons’ graduate MFA program in fashion design and society. “As a designer, I am blown away,” said Donna Karan last night, after making the rounds at “The First Eighteen,” a showcase of work by the inaugural group of 18 students (ages 24 to 31) in Parsons’ graduate MFA program in fashion design and society.

If the measure of a party is how many times it's compared to New York in the eighties, Friday night's Creative Time gala at the Roseland Ballroom was a raging success. "When times are uncertain, I think it's only natural to crave a return to opulence," said Donna Karan. Terence Koh, wearing a plastic suit jacket from a Hong Kong street vendor, said he comes to the gala every year because it's "just over-the-top, crazy." But this year being the nonprofit public art foundation's 40th anniversary, things were perhaps more heightened than usual.

Parsons pride was in fine form at Pier 60 last evening, as Donna Karan was bestowed an award from her alma mater (alongside Shelia C. Johnson) at the New School fashion powerhouse's annual benefit bash.