People & Parties

By Liz Anthony

The Story: “A trip to another reality. A tribal oneness of purpose: to lose ourselves in dance under the musical spell of DJ Larry Levan.”

The Celebration: “The coming together of everyone, to relive and share the experience and to provide the experience of those who were there at the time.”

The Collection: “To pay homage to our friend Keith and to keep his name alive among the young who most understands him.”  ~ Patricia Field, February 11, 2010

The event for the “Paradise Garage” collection by the House of Field was certainly a throw-back to late nights/early mornings at Studio 54. Good Units served as the perfect raw space to showcase Patricia Field’s latest designs in collaboration with the Keith Haring Foundation. Complete with lightshow and dancing underwear-clad models the presentation was fun and flirtatious. The Mannequins were displayed wearing bouffant wigs, daring ensembles and donned custom jewelry by nOir. My favorite look was modeled on a glamorous mannequin dangling from the ceiling wearing a hot pink wig. It featured a sparkling sequin one-shoulder dress cut just below the breast and included a matching sequin pasty – a far cry from the typical Fashion Week look. The colors were vivid, the prints were loud and the company delightfully eccentric. (more…)

Tuesday night, I grabbed two of my chicest friends and hopped in a cab to the 10065- or 61st St, right off Madison Avenue, where the social set had gathered to celebrate the New York launch of Oceana. The organization, a favorite of many activists and celebrities, focuses on maritime preservation working on everything from sustainable fishing to pollution management.This particular event was generously hosted in the private residence of Alexander & Brenda von Schweickhard, with a long list of supporters, socialites and influentials in attendance including John and Joyce Varvatos, Tommy and Dee Hilfiger, Ted Danson, Philip Glass, and actor Sam Waterson. (more…)

This was the question I posed on my Twitter account last week when I was invited to join her for a celebratory dinner at the National Arts Club. President of The National Arts Club, Aldon James and Chair of The Fashion Committee, Chrishaunda Lee presented Betsey Johnson with the Lifetime Achievement in Fashion Award, complete with cocktail hour, a three course meal, speeches, music and dancing.

My twitter friends, and sage fashion advisers, simply suggested that I substitute “pink tie” for “black tie.”  As is turns out, they were all completely right on suggesting a “multicolored Betsey outfit,” with “ruffles for sure, hot pink if possible,” and “sequins, definitely sequins.”  (See all 3 represented in the picture above.) (more…)

As a former Seattlelite, I try to keep up with what’s new in the city even if my visits are few and far between.  As the cultural and business hub of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle has always held its own in the food, shopping, and art scenes.  But these days, the city seems to grow more cosmopolitan by the minute as a flurry of the world’s trendiest and most luxurious brands (Four Seasons, Neiman Marcus, David Barton Gym) all move in to call Seattle home.

In the past few years I’ve followed the city’s metamorphosis through its ever-changing skyline.  In 2006, it was dotted with dozens of cranes, poised to transform the downtown from business commuter hub into some of the most desirable residential real estate on the West coast. I am always wowed each time one of these projects complete- always a technologically advanced, masterfully designed building that adds a new sparkle to the city view.

Last week, TDO was invited to celebrate one of these developments- Fifteen Twenty One Second Ave- with a private gallery opening at the penthouse that brought together the social and influential set for an evening of art and architecture.  We sent a correspondent to scope out the scene and he reported back with what can only be described as genuine awe. The art collection, valued at more than a quarter of a million dollars, featured over 25 pieces from Seattle artist, Jean-Pierre Canlis, who is most well-known for his nature inspired large-scale glass installations. Canlis collaborated with Fifteen Twenty One to showcase what he calls “art in place.” Instead of presenting art against a stark museum wall, Canlis brings to life the true flavor of his work by placing it in one of its most natural settings. (more…)

Some Mondays, you need a weekend from your weekend.  Although this was the case yesterday, worn out from my weekend of Fashion Week and the US Open, I managed to rally after work and head with a friend to the Griffin, for the Kim Kardashian for OK! Magazine party, celebrating her new role of contributing Beauty Editor.  As Kim tweeted, it’s truly a dream job for her to interview makeup artists backstage.

The most googled celebrity of 2008, as expected, is very pretty and tiny in person.  Surrounded by a bevy of female and male admirers which a flank of security guards kept at bay, I saw her sitting with Brandon Davis (of ex Mischa Barton fame) and famous publicist, Jonathan Cheban, who frequently appears on their reality show.  My friend, Lillian, and I marveled over her flawless skin and I drooled over her endlessly long eyelashes.  I loved her glamorous look for the night, with her 1920′s inspired, pincurl tucked updo, and her long, metallic gray dropwaist dress. (more…)

Vogue’s Fashion Night Out yesterday may have been the most hyped party of the week (the rain didn’t even start until after all the events ended!) and TDO Intern Sarah certainly had loads of fun with the Purple Lab team, meeting DvF, and even a face to face encouter with Anna Wintour!   While she was out scoping the fashion scene, I headed to a more under-the-radar party hosted by their sister publication Vanity Fair. For Fashion Week, Vanity Fair is launching their own initiative called Campaign New York, which is a week long series of exclusive parties and shopping events

The center of Vanity Fair’s Campaign New York is the Proust Parlour, which is their pop up space that they modeled after a 19th Century Parisian Cafe.  It houses a gallery exhibition of Vanity Fair’s popular Proust Questionnaire columns (a series of questions designed to reveal one’s personality) and opened last night with a fun cocktail party sponsored by Grand Marnier, showcasing artwork by Robert Risko. I invited my friend Jessica to stop by and check it out before we headed over to the Prabal Gurung party a few blocks down at Greenhouse. (more…)

The 2009 Mercedes Benz Polo Challenge opened this weekend at the Blue Stars Jet Field, marking the start of the height of the Hampton’s social season. I was invited as a guest of OPTYX by Gruen, one of this season’s key sponsors (and the purveyor of of those gorgeous Cartier glasses that made my Lust List this month). Tempted by the possibility of a Nacho Figueras sighting, unlimited open bar under the VIP tent, and a reason to wear my new blue DVF dress, I quickly accepted and invited my favorite celebrity colorist and best-date-ever, Jason Backe.

The match starts every Saturday at 4pm, so Jason and I rolled out of the city around 1:30 with high hopes of making it to the Bridgehampton Polo Club in time to stomp the divots during half time, Pretty Woman style. Sadly, traffic in the LIE put us an hour behind schedule, though when you’re hanging with the best-date-ever, little details like moving at 5 miles an hour for an hour doesn’t really put a damper on your day.  Jason had packed us a little tailgate party which wins the award for best-feast-ever, complete with figs, cheese, hummus, Sofia Coppola champagne, and chocolate covered nuts.  A lot of other polo goers were jealous. (more…)

Last night’s Louis Vuitton Lunar Landing star-studded celebration was an almost-party for me.  As it turns out, my invite got lost in the abyss of a cyber black hole,  sent to an email address that I had deactivated a few weeks ago.  But thanks to my Twitter feed and trusty Patrick McMullan, I’m all caught up on the fete, and even with the added benefit of not having a Moet induced hangover. The party, held at the Rose Center for Earth & Space, American Museum of Natural History, commemorated the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11 and welcomed guests such as Adriana Lima, Miranda Kerr, Whitney Port, Estelle, Jessica Szohr, and the second man to set foot on the moon- astronaut Buzz Aldrin (pictured).  Neil Armstrong, holds the title for the first.

Louis Vuitton, as you know, is a brand that is passionate about creating memorable journeys.  This fall, they have chosen the ultimate journey- space- as reflected in soon to be launching Fall/Winter ad campaign featuring Madonna.  Today, the Louis Vuitton Maison on New York’s 5th Ave is wrapped with the image of Buzz Aldrin, Jim Lovell and Sally Ride, declaring that “some journeys change mankind forever.” (more…)

After having the most amazing time at Boucheron’s 150 Yr Anniversary Party in New York last September, I was super excited to see another Boucheron party invite land in my inbox last week- and then immediately saddened to realize that this time,  it was happening in Paris.

The fete was hosted at the Boucheron flagship boutique at 26 Place Vendome last night during Paris’ Couture Week  by Jean-Christophe Bedos, CEO of Boucheron and designer Marc Newson.  The House of Boucheron unveiled its latest jewelry creation “Julia.”

We read from the post party release that attendees included global fashion taste makers such as Carine Roitfeld,  Karl Lagerfeld, Monique Lhuillier, Lauren Santo Domingo, Suzy Menkes, Hamish Bowles, and Azzedine Alaia.  Some pictures of the fun are below the cut.  All I have to say it, I probably would’ve fallen over had I been at the same party as Karl Lagerfeld! (more…)

Just got back from a paparazzi-filled Reebok celebration to debut the new Reebok EasyTone shoe for women and lo and behold, look who was the DJ! Samantha Ronson spun tunes by Keri Hilson, Black Eyed Peas and more into the night as Reebok lit up 9152 Janice Place, a $10 million architectural masterpiece in Beverly Hills, with their pink logo and EasyTone shoe displays.

Roaming the property were TV darlings Audrina Patridge, Stacy Keibler, Karina Smirnoff and ANTM winner CariDee English as well as the very cute Vanessa Minnillo and High School Musical star KayCee Stroh. I also ran into the very funny actress Regina King and the apparently 14 weeks pregnant (though I couldn’t tell – see?) Kendra Wilkinson, left, both decked out in EasyTones. And it’s a good thing I got to there early to spot the Kardashians, including perfect-butt poster girl Kim (who looks just as beautiful in person as she does in photos). She was literally dashing out the front door 10 minutes after the event started with a coveted pair of the shoes … speaking of which: (more…)