SURREAL SYNERGY; FASHION, COMPASSION AND GLITZ CONVERGE FOR ANNUALLY DAZZLING PASSPORT '99.

Byline: Barbara De Witt Fashion Editor

Fire dancers, bare-chested guys in white ruffled briefs, and X-Game gold medalists on scooters.

Add the City of Refuge Restoration Choir on risers that dropped from the sky (or at least the rafters), a theatrical performance by John Cameron Mitchell of the upcoming rock 'n' roll musical ``Hedwig and the Angry Inch,'' Adam and Eve in fig leaf undies, and supermodel Cindy Crawford in a fetching black leather ensemble, and you've got the opening act for Passport '99.

Annually billed as the world's largest fashion show, it's an explosion of art and energy with umpteen designer collections modeled by numerous celebs on an awesome 106-foot catwalk. All that, plus trendy pink and blue cocktails and chocolates shaped like bow ties. And souvenir seats.

Held Saturday night at Santa Monica's Barker Hangar, Passport's 17th annual evening of fashion and compassion attracted 2,800 fans. Coupled with an earlier performance in San Francisco, the event founded by Elizabeth Taylor and sponsored by Macy's and American Express raised $2 million for AIDS research and local AIDS/HIV groups, matching last year's figure, according to Macy's spokeswoman Rina Neiman.

Although Taylor was unable to make her annual speech (she injured her back in a recent fall), Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson was there as usual to welcome the crowd, in addition to Crawford and actor/author Carrie Fisher, who jokingly referred to Taylor as her one-time stepmother (which is actually true, since Taylor was once married to Fisher's father, Eddie Fisher), and then renewed Taylor's plea for funds to help find an AIDS vaccine.

Event chairman Johnson also made a plea. He reported the sobering news that AIDS is on the rise in the African-American community, accounting for more than half of all new cases. ``If you have any ideas, let me know. And quit discriminating against people with HIV/AIDS ... or anything. We should never look down on people,'' he said before the lights went out and the fashion show began.

And what a show.

The event opened with a futuristic segment to reflect urban life in the year 2000, with a performance by the band AWD and models stepping off a revolving platform in gray and white utility-chic sportswear (that means high-tech fabrics, pockets and reflective tape) by French designers Marithe & Francois Girbaud. Futuristic fashions segued into a more girlie fashion parade by Julie Chaiken for Chaiken and Capone that included pony-print jeans with wool ponchos (very '60s) and sleek red leather jackets over turquoise suede pants (think '70s and don't tuck in your shirt tail.

Tommy Hilfiger dished denim for everyone, from hip-hopping preschoolers to in-line skating teens to X-Game gold medalists Rob Nolli, Jonny Moseley, Todd Richards, Circe Wallace, Colin McKay, Shaun Palmer and Danny Way. The looks were typical Tommy, with puffy red, blue and yellow nylon parkas over blue jeans, and even a rubberized denim mechanic's suit with '40s flair. Then Hilfiger glammed it up with his new Red Label Collection that included a red plaid kilt (on a guy), lots of snakeskin patchwork pants, boots and jackets, and girls in unbuttoned vests that revealed bare chests and feather-and-bead necklaces (very Cher). However, celeb models Marilu Henner and Tracy Ellis Ross wore more modest ensembles.

The White Light segment followed, with a solo performance by the Rev. Yvette Flunder backed by a gospel choir, and trailed by a parade of soft wintry white knits heralded as the ``new black'' for the new millennium.

Knits were often cable-stitched or crocheted, which created a bulky silhouette, but there also were more wearable flat merino wool knits seen in funnel-necked sweaters with slim or cropped pants, as well as wrappers over A-line skirts. The collection was a sampling of fall styles by numerous designers, including Hugo Boss, Iceberg, Byblos and Moschino, as well as American favorites Tahari, Ralph Lauren, DKNY, Kenneth Cole and Cynthia Rowley.

Rowley, the whimsical young women's designer, also presented her first menswear collection that night and it was, well, very Rowley. She proved she understood menswear with a beautiful tan wool suit, but it was her wooly mohair and sequined designs, including one with an aqua astrological print, that wowed the crowd.

Other menswear of merit was by Etro, featuring Carnaby Street-inspired velvet suits in intricate paisleys.

Before the long-but-fun evening was over, there was a collection of hats by London milliner Stephen Jones - modeled by live mannequins in skintight catsuits - and a dreamy collection of garnet-colored jersey evening gowns with faux fur stoles by L.A. designer David Meister. Among his celeb models who presented fresh looks for New Year's Eve parties were Fran Drescher of ``The Nanny,'' Jane Krakowski of ``Ally McBeal,'' and Adrienne Frantz of ``The Bold and the Beautiful.''

The evening ended with a brief millennial celebration that gave the audience a sneak peek into the history of undies from Joe Boxer's always humorous point of view. The vignettes included Adam and Eve, Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, and even the Statue of Liberty, before the designer, Nicholas Graham, came out for the new year's countdown and fashion finale.

As the clock struck, whistles blew and metallic confetti dumped on guests' heads, and then Graham dropped his pants ... to reveal his trademark smiley face shorts.

Where, oh where, is a fashion cop when you need one?

Footnotes from the runway

OK, so you didn't get to Macy's big fashion hoopla. We took notes of the latest trends:

Knits (anything with tactile appeal)

Red (fire engine to garnet)

Winter white (wear it with black shoes)

Puffy parkas (for day or night)

Denim (cuffed or trimmed)

Slinky evening gowns with fabric or fur stoles

Corduroy pants with sweaters (think ``Love Story'')

Long coats called wrappers

Hippie-chic ensembles with beads and fringe

Little hats (berets and ski caps)

Novelty shoes (red sneakers, feathered mules, boots)

- Barbara De Witt

CAPTION(S):

6 Photos, Box

Photo: (1--3--Color) Above: Passport '99 closed with Joe Boxer undies as a finale. Could garter belts be next on the retro scene? Top right: Earvin ``Magic'' Johnson and Cindy Crawford acted as the evening's co-hosts. Below right, Designer Cynthia Rowley feigns a grand arrival.

(4--Color) A black-leather-clad fire dancer warms up the crowd, ahead of the fashion show.

(5--Color) Marilu Henner and her two sons stroll along the runway, adding a gentle celebrity touch to the event.

(6--Color) Etro added elegance to what is billed as the world's largest fashion show.

John Lazar/Staff Photographer

Box: Footnotes from the runway (See text)