New York, October 18, 2007 – Isaac Mizrahi dresses the masses from head to toe in fabulous, affordable fashions with his designs for Target stores, and yet he couldn’t find a pair of shoes to match the suit he wore to the National Design Awards on Thursday, and opted for plastic shower sandals instead.  Maybe the fashion designer didn’t want to upstage TOMS shoes creator Blake Mycoskie, to whom he presented the People’s Choice award at the dinner. 

TOMS shoes has become a phenomenon, so we asked Mycoskie, a former Amazing Race contestant, what he thinks of that other footwear juggernaut, Crocs.  “It’s not my style, but I hear they’re very comfortable”, he said, laughing.  “I mean, they made a ton of money and everyone and their dog wears a pair of Crocs”, he added. 

Graphic designer Chip Kidd designed Paul Simon’s latest album cover, and the musician gave a funny, heartfelt tribute speech at the gala.  Simon was shy when we caught up with him later in the evening at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum.  “I have nothing to say, other than how much I admire Chip Kidd”, he told us. 

Sadly, we didn’t get to complain rave about all of our gadgets to Apple SVP of industrial design Jonathan Ive, who received the product design award.  However Extreme Makeover: Home Edition star Eduardo Xol, who hosted the event, said what everyone was thinking after Ive had left the stage.  “I’m one of those people who ran out and bought the iPhone on the first day", Xol announced. "I just wanted to say that."