Amateur photographers jockeyed with paparazzi to get pictures of Victoria Beckham and stood on banquettes to get a glimpse of "Top Chef" host Padma Lakshmi. The hope was that the stargazing event, a brainchild of Vogue Editor Anna Wintour, would help at the cash register.

"It's a nice night. We're tired of waiting until the recession ends," said Stuart Weitzman.

The shoe designer played ping-pong with customers at his store, and confessed that as a former high school ping-pong champion, he was a bit of a ringer. "It relaxes me. I play two or three times a week."

Security had to close off Bergdorf Goodman's seventh floor, where Lakshmi judged a cook-off between designers including Cynthia Rowley — who made tipsy tomatoes, described as "upscale Jello shots" — and Peter Som, who made panko-fried oysters.

The winner: Lela Rose, the crowd favorite for her corn crepe topped with lobster and cilantro salsa.

"There are far more people than I was expecting, but I should have known everyone would want to meet Padma," said Linda Fargo, fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman.