Friends In Fashionable Places  Impeccably dressed and undeniably influential, co-hosts Anna Wintour and Tom Ford gathered a glamorous group to raise funds for the Obama Victory Fund 2012 earlier this week in London. Salmon was the dish of choice, at $15,000 a plate, but the real meat of the meal was a speech by David Plouffe. The POTUS’ political strategist left guests including Gwyneth Paltrow and Cameron Diaz inspired, according to WWD, and Wintour will host another such stylish supper during Paris Fashion Week.       Gilt Groupe Chops Park & Bond  Word is spreading across the web that luxury flash sale force Gilt Groupe will cut its men’s site Park & Bond following the holiday shopping season. Also on the chopping block, though only in for a trim, is food-focused Gilt Taste. As to the reasoning behind the restructuring, Gilt President Andy Page is quoted as explaining that the second, full-price men’s site proved “confusing” for shoppers. Also noted by Tricia Duryee at All Things D, “[The] moves mark the second time this year that the company has tweaked its operations in order to achieve profitability.” Gilt’s on track to reach this goal, in preparation for a possible 2013 IPO.       Host, Retailer Shake-Ups at Fashion Star  Though she’ll stay on as a producer, Elle Macpherson is stepping down as hostess of NBC’s designer competition show, Fashion Star. Taking her place for Season Two is Louise Roe (pictured above), an editor-at-large for Glamour and an Access Hollywood correspondent. This news follows H&M’s decision to decline a second go-round as one of the show’s three retail bidders on contestants’ weekly designs. Though only time will tell, these developments, coupled with a lack of any updates on the official Fashion Star website, don’t leave us optimistic. Visit Deadline.com for more on the story.       The Apfel Of Our Eye “I think the greatest fashion faux pas is looking in the mirror and seeing somebody else.” – Iris Apfel Unmistakable in her oversized glasses, often draped in beads, legendary interior designer, businesswoman, and trendsetter Iris Apfel is one of a kind. Via Racked, view a trailer for "Iris Apfel: A Work-in-Progress," a film in-the-making by Albert Maysles. According to the site, the team behind the documentary is seeking funds to enable its completion, with a hopeful release date in Fall 2013. After watching, you’ll understand why we wish we could mail them a check for the balance immediately.     (Photo credits, from top: Lead image via SheFinds.com, 1. 4top-luxury-interior-design.blogspot.com, 2. ParkandBond.com, 3. Louise Roe Official/Facebook.com, 4. Racked.com)