I ♥ S P R E K E N H U S

The gloved and pony-tailed king of Chanel’s kingdom introduced his world-traveling Mobile Art: Contemporary Art Container with a high-gloss party Tuesday night, and icy temperatures did little to deter a bounty of celebrity friends from showing their support, including Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Bosworth, Kim Raver, Katie Lee Joel, Helena Christensen and Top Chef’s Padma Lakshmi.

“Chanel is supposed to be for everybody,” Lagerfeld told reporters in front of the curving, spherical exhibit which, designed by architect Zaha Hadid, is free to the public (with reserved, timed tickets) until Nov. 9. The international exhibition began in Hong Kong in February and changes installations in each of the cities it travels to, including London, Moscow and Paris.

After a personal tour of the space with Lagerfeld, Sarah Jessica Parker shared tidbits of her upcoming cable reality competition show, a search for the next great American artist.

“We start casting at the top of the year,” said Parker, dressed in a gray sheath and black lace tights with her hair spun high in a feathery bun. From sculpture and painting, and beyond, “there is no medium that is not welcome,” on the Bravo show, but as for what the contestants win (Project Runway winners show at Fashion Week, Top Chef winners take home big cash prizes, and more) “we haven’t figured out that yet.”

Standing next to a larger-than-life rendition of a quilted Chanel bag inside the exhibit, Parker recalled her very first Chanel bag. “It was a simple classic Chanel bag, actually suede rather than the quilted, with the proper clasp,” she said. “You know, the iconic bag, and I still have it to this day and that was probably 18 years ago.”

The model-friendly party saw trays of Champagne and tiny bites of tuna on toast circulate, as a laughing Kate Bosworth danced to a live performance by Hercules and Love Affair with boyfriend James Rousseau.

And yet, in the midst of visual arts and luxury, many of the celebrities reflected on how their recent behavior has shifted due to the struggling economy.

“I’m thinking a little more conservative,” said Lakshmi, who dressed warmly for the evening in a black mini, a long black jacket, tights and a chunky gold Chanel belt. “I don’t owe on any credit cards. I’m very old fashioned about it.”

Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu, Damn Yankees) has seen more bikes crowding the city streets since the stock market crashed. “Shows are closing left and right,” he said.

Lipstick Jungle‘s Kim Raver has started mixing in designer pieces with staples from affordable stores like the Gap. “I think it’s fine that we all pull back. On the show (the extravagance is) extraordinary and amazing but I think we’re all realizing that we need to cut back a little bit to help our economy and our country,” she said.

Parker, who despite her glam red carpet reputation says she is not a careless spender, finds the current situation “very scary.”

“I think New York is already very separated in terms of the haves and the have-nots and I think we’re really going to see it in a much more stark way,” she said. “And I think we all have to kind of figure out how to be part of the city as the economic crisis really hits us because I don’t think it’s really hit us yet. It’s just a matter of time before people in the city have the same experience that other people in America are having.”

Even Lagerfeld, who recently bought a 160-year-old house in rural Vermont, offered his own spin on what to buy this season if your budget is shrinking.