PLUS: “Quest” Toasts "The Trump Card"

"I went through 98 years of L.L. Bean history, archives, and catalogues and cherry-picked references that were relevant for today's girl and today's guy," said Bean Signature Creative Director Alex Carleton at the preview party for his Spring '10 collection last Tuesday.

The Cape Cod and Boston native, who has lived in Maine for the past 11 years, "grew up wearing L.L. Bean and it is a brand that is close to my heart and has always been part of my vocabulary." It is only natural, then, that the Rogues Gallery founder was chosen to oversee creative direction on the iconic brand's new Signature Collection. At 98 years, L.L. Bean is on the eve of its centennial. Nonetheless, Carleton "did not want this to be a vintage brand. I needed [the collection] to work for today."

To that end, there are plenty of great new classics, ranging from buffalo plaid shirts to sailor V-necks, striped cardigans and plaid wrap dresses. Even the beloved Boat Tote has received a revamp in the form of an oversized canvas carry-all. Guests, the likes of Anderson Cooper, Eric Wilson, Ariel Foxman, Sarah Cristobal, Rafe Totengco, and Heritage Vice President Chris Vickers admired the innovative, yet traditional updates while indulging in Maine delicacies like Geary's Beer, freshly plucked oysters and lobster rolls (for those still in Amagansett/Montauk withdrawal). Judging from the lively atmosphere (and enthusiastic consumption of Belvedere Vodka shooters), it appears that Bean is back and more popular than ever.

Nostalgia of a different variety was the order of the evening at Trump Tower, where guests the likes of Andrew Saffir, Kipton Cronkite, Di Petroff, Liz Lind and Gigi Stone relived their Reagan youth at “Quest” Magazine's fete for Ivanka Trump's new book The Trump Card: Playing to Win in Work and Life.

Les familles Trump et Meigher welcomed hundreds of their nearest and dearest who supped on savories courtesy of that other 80s mainstay, Le Cirque, who celebrated their 35th anniversary with a star-studded party on Sunday.

Ivanka, clad in a sparking one shoulder Naeem Khan (and her namesake jewelry line, natch), signed books feverishly as she discussed what it takes to be a leader in our generation. "I grew up admiring business people and philanthropists and the female CEOs of companies, like Pepsi," she told me, citing Bill Gates and, of course, her parents as her other major inspirations. Mauro Maccioni echoed this sentiment and was not shy in his admiration for the soon-to-be-wed author: "She had great examples in her life and made the most of everything she was given." Judging from the tome's rapid sales (it has already cracked Amazon's top 100), it looks like future business people, philanthropists, and Trumps alike already have a new role model to call their own.



Brett Fahlgren, Helen McGinley and Brendan Monaghan at L.L.Bean Signature Spring 2010 Preview Party at the Hosfelt Gallery in NYC



DJ Matt Creed at L.L.Bean Signature Spring 2010 Preview Party at the Hosfelt Gallery in NYC



Alex Carleton and Anderson Cooper at L.L.Bean Signature Spring 2010 Preview Party at the Hosfelt Gallery in NYC



Andrew Saffir, Ashley Baker, Grace Meigher and Daniel Benedict at Quest and Q Magazines Host Ivanka Trump Book Party at Trump Tower in NYC



Donald Trump Jr., Barron Trump, Ivanka Trump, Melania Trump and Eric Trump at Quest and Q Magazines Host Ivanka Trump Book Party at Trump Tower in NYC



Chris Meigher and Jared Kushner at Quest and Q Magazines Host Ivanka Trump Book Party at Trump Tower in NYC



Tatiana Perkin and Thorne Perkin at Quest and Q Magazines Host Ivanka Trump Book Party at Trump Tower in NYC