On Thursday, October 22, 2009, the Smithsonian Institution: Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum held a gala to present the National Design Awards in a magically lit space at Cipriani 42nd Street (89 E 42nd St. NYC 10017 (212) 973-0999). A festive crowd arrived early to sip Champagne Pommery and cocktails preceding the benefit dinner and awards ceremony.

 
The evening was sponsored by Target, Saint-Gobain Advanced Ceramics, Channel 4 New York and Champagne Pommery.
 
 
Awards were presented to Bill Moggridge, Amory B. Lovins, President of Lincoln Center Reynold Levy, the Walker Art Center, SHoP Architects, The New York Times Graphics Department, Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein Collection, Perceptive Pixel, Inc., Tsao & McKown Architects, HOOD Design and Boym Partners, Inc.,  for their skills and contributions to the world of design.

 
Among the guests, Eva Mendes, Francisco Costa, Desiree Rogers, Paula Zahn, Chuck Close, ...

On Monday, October 19, 2009, Christie’s and Dior hosted a special preview luncheon featuring select pieces from Christie’s Fall sale of post war & contemporary art and Christian Doir’s Haute Joaillerie collection. A private group of guests gathered in the early afternoon to celebrate fine art and design in an unseasonably beautiful room at Christie’s (20 Rockerfeller Plz # 6

 
The event was hosted by Pamela Baxter, President of Christian Dior Inc., Laura Paulson, deputy chairman and senior international director of post war & contemporary art at Christie’s, Lydia Fenet, vice president and director of special events at Christie’s, and Nathalie Kaplan, international representative at Christie’s.
 
 
Karen Watkins, Lizzie Tisch, Laura Paulson, Regine Debrise and Clemence von Mueffling were among the elegant and feminine invitees who dined in the beautiful room.
 
 
Christie’s is one of the world’s premiere ...

On Thursday, October 22, 2009, Animal Care and Animal Planet co-hosted a fun filled evening of food, drinks and furry friends for the 2nd annual ANIMAL CARE Gala held at Pacha NYC (618 W 46th St. NYC 10036 (212) 209-7500). The fundraiser featured a silent auction, as well as a spectacular fashion show for a number of rescued dogs who darned the latest in creature couture. The pups were accompanied by the (Red) Models who wore Armani.

 
The festive occasion raised funds to benefit New York’s animal care programs. Guests dined on an organic menu designed by Choice Productions and drank from an open bar.
 
 
This year, a number of special guests attended:  Today Show special correspondent Jill Rappaport, the cast from Animal Planet’s series Underdog to Wonderdog, National Geographic’s Rescue Ink, radio personality Maria Milito, Richard Belzer ...

On Tuesday, October 20, 2009, André Gregory, Wally Shawn, Noah Baumbach and Candice Bergen hosted back-to-back In-House screenings of My Dinner With Andre at Soho House (29 9th Ave.  NYC 10014  (212) 627-9800). A film-fab crowd gathered to celebrate the movie’s restoration by Nouvelles Éditions de Films and its new DVD release by the Criterion Collection.
 

 
The In-House series is known to attract big names to its screenings and, as expected, did not disappoint at this event, presented by THE WEEK Magazine and Glenlivet. Guests included Chloe Malle, Diane Sawyer, Mike Nichols, Amy Heckerling, Whit Stillman, Amanda Ross, Poppy de Villeneuve, Nicola Mar, Vanessa Neumann, Kate Schelter, Dr. Kevin Plancher, Michele Gerber Klein, Rocco DiSpirito, film producer Katrina Pavlos, and THE WEEK’s Alain Begun, among others.
 
 
The 1981 film My Dinner with Andre is a brilliantly composed snapshot of ...

The American Hospital of Paris Foundation Junior Committee hosted its second annual Fêtte d’Automne at Doubles (783 5th Ave. NYC 10022 (212) 751-9595).  The American Hospital of Paris was organized in 1906 as a way to bring the American and international communities together, Additionally, it serves as the meeting ground for U.S. and European medical science professionals.

The hospital provides the facilities necessary for doctors to collaborate and work together in order to advance their knowledge in the detection and prevention of life-threatening diseases. This year’s event is also a celebration of Fashion Week in Paris and it raised money for the American Hospital in Europe, the new facility that is dedicated to saving lives through the early detection and diagnosis of cancer.


Guests in attendance were Gonzalo Alberto Mejia, Mathias Korder-Fort, George Boudria, Abigail ...

Judith Leiber celebrated the release of her new book, No More Bagatelles at Bergdorf Goodman (754 5th Ave. NYC 10019 (212) 753-7300). The biography explores Leiber’s early life and the start of her company, as well as her relationship with her husband, Gerson.

Judith Leiber’s rise to prominence in the fashion industry began in Budapest, Hungary, where she was born in 1921. She later became the first woman to join the handbag-makers guild but, because she was Jewish in Eastern Europe during the rise of the Third Reich, she had to flee her country and find refuge in Switzerland. She immigrated to the United States in 1947.


When Leiber arrived in America she continued on her path to success and. in 1963, she launched her own company.  Since then, almost every first lady has carried a Leiber handbag to the inauguration ceremony. Her bejeweled designs ...

Designer David Yurman celebrated the opening of his new shop-in-shop at Bloomingdale’s (1000 Third Ave. NYC 10022 212-705-2000). Yurman’s new boutique will showcase the Yurman Family’s famous luxury jewelry designs in a retail space that was inspired by modern American architecture of the mid 1900’s

On hand for the event was David Yurman, Bloomingdale’s executives and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s Board members. A percentage of the first week’s sales will go to support the MSKCC.  Others in attendance were, Evan Yurman, Sybil Yurman, Michael Gould, Terry Fitzgerald, Libby Fitzgerald, Lisa McCarthy, Grace Meigher, Paul Blum, Carol Pennelli, Francine Klein, Heather Leeds, Tom Leeds and Allison Aston.

The book launch for POP: The Genius of Andy Warhol, by Tony Scherman and David Dalton, was held at Tony Shafrazi Gallery (544 West 26th Street NYC 10001 212-274-9300). The biography covers everything from Andy Warhol’s origins in Pittsburg to his fears, inspirations and successes.

The two authors, Scherman (author of Backbeat: Earl Palmer’s Story) and Dalton (who assisted Warhol with Dalton’s sister Sarah during Warhol’s early Pop Art paintings), detailed the legend’s life from an intimate and personal perspective.   This approach  sheds light on what drove Warhol creatively and his monumental influence on the 20th century art landscape.


Specifically, the two authors focused on Andy’s art from 1961 to 1968 and created the first book to make full use of the archives at the Andy Warhol Museum and Yale’s Beinecke Library.  They were able to put much of Warhol’s genius into the context of ...

Fashion Group International hosted their 26th annual Night of Stars Gala at Cipriani Wall Street (55 Wall Street NYC. 10005, 212-699-4099). At the event, Frida Giannini was presented with the Fashion Award, and designer Oscar de la Renta received the night’s highest honor, The Superstar Award.

The Fashion Group, which began in 1928 with Edna Woolman Chase, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, and sixteen other women, has grown to become a global non-profit with five thousand members. They are the pre-eminent authority on the business of fashion and design. They help their members become more effective in their careers through providing insight into the trends that shape the fashion industry. They also strive to advance professionalism in fashion and related lifestyle industries.


Guests in attendance where, Tommy Hilfiger, Dee Ocleppo, Gwen Stefani, Jon Bon Jovi, Dorothea Bon Jovi, Evan ...

Nadja Swarovski hosted a private dinner for designer Marios Schwab at the Morgans Hotel Penthouse (237 Madison Ave. NYC 10016, 212-686-0300). The two have recently collaborated, combining Marios Schwab’s elegant celebration of natural form and Swarovski’s beautiful crystal work.  Guests were welcomed with champagne and a stunning view of Manhattan’s skyline.

The location for the dinner resembled a fashion show, with a number of Schwab’s dresses displayed throughout the penthouse, the most stunning of which was adorned with Swarovski’s crystals. Guests in attendance were Alana Varel, James Grant, Amir Zia, Saira Zia, Kate Young, Jen Brill, Rayna Cummings, Emila Torra, Jeffrey Milleo, James Grant, Jay Massacret, Lily Aldridge, Lauren Santo Domingo and Marija Skara.  To find out more about Marios Schwab go to www.mariosschwab.com, and for more on Swarovski Crystal go to www.swarovski.com.


...

The Whitney Museum of American Art collaborated with Versace to host the annual Whitney Studio Party.  It was hosted by Mischa Barton and highlighted by a performance by Jennifer Hudson.

The Whitney Museum houses one of the world’s foremost collections of 20th century American art. The collection of roughly twelve thousand works includes paintings, sculptures, multimedia installations, drawings, prints and photographs. Founded in 1931 with seven hundred pieces, the museum has prided itself on growing its collection through purchasing pieces from living and relatively unknown artists. Over they years, they have used this method to build a collection of masterpieces from such artists as Jasper Johns, Philip Guston and Reginald Marsh.


To celebrate the museum’s successful history and the artists who have contributed to their vast collection, the museum threw an extravagant party, complete with cocktails and dancing. The art-chic crowd, clad in a ...

Oceana, the largest international non-profit dedicated solely to ocean conservation, held a launch party for their New York Office hosted by Alexander and Brenda von Schweickhardt. Tiffany & Co. sponsored the party with drinks donated by Zaya.

Oceana’s New York office will allow them to build upon more than 300,000 members in 150 countries across the world. Oceana’s team of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates have been integral in winning concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and to prevent the collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life.


The night featured an inspiring introduction from Oceana Board Chairman Keith Addis, Oceana Executive Vice President Jim Simon, Sam Waterston and Sue Cohn Rockefeller. The night also gave guests from different walks and professions the chance to discuss Oceana’s mission and ...

Chanel held a luncheon to celebrate the release of their newest line of handbags, “Coco Cocoon,” at Chanel Soho Boutique ...

Ruffian designers, Brian Wolk and Claude Morais, debuted their new line of apparel and home décor products titled “Mise en Scene,” at Anthropologie (50 Rockefeller Plaza NYC 10020 (212) 246-0386).

Their new line, according to Wolk, was inspired by stars’ dressing rooms from some of their favorite movies, including “All About Eve” and Hitchcock’s “Stage Fright”. With those movies in mind, a set was built inside Anthropologie to mirror those dressing rooms, where the new line of Ruffian clothes, hand mirrors and glassware served as props.

In attendance were Claude Morais, Brian Wolk, Iris Wolk, Anne Koch, Wendy Wurtzburger, Lorenzo Martone, Wendy Brown, Jenny Lockie, Keith Johnson, Anisha Lakhani, Tana Chung, Antonia Thompson, David Foote, Becca Citron, Veronica Gledhill and Jessie Cohan. To find out more about Ruffian’s designs go to www.ruffian.com.  To find out more about Anthorpologie go to www.anthropologie.com

The American Ballet’s Junior Council had a private cocktail party at the Forbes Galleries (62 5th Ave NYC 10011 (212) 206-5548). The Junior Council, a group of young professionals between the age of twenty-one and forty, dedicate themselves to the ballet through the celebration of its performances. They also serve as a base of support that will further the American Ballet Theatre in the future through serving as a liaison between the artistic community and the next generation of young professionals.  Through their efforts, they strengthen the arts and contribute to its continued success in the years to come.

In attendance were Asha Talwar, Amanda Meigher, Ellie Berlin, Craig Salstein, Melanie Hamrick, Zhong-Jing Fang, Daniel Cappello, Jennifer Whalen, Sara Smith, Katie Williams, Sean Stewart, Brie Wilson, Hsien Yean Wong, Patrick Ogle and Gaby Baden. To find out more about the American Ballet Theatre go to www.abt.org. ...

On Thursday, October 15, 2009, The Marlborough Gallery hosted an event in honor of abstract artist Steven Charles at the dazzling Glass House in the Chelsea Arts Tower. Marlborough co-hosted the event with renowned arts communications expert Bettina Prentice to celebrate the opening of Charles’ new show “The Upstairs Room”, that runs at Marlborough’s Chelsea location through November 14th.

Leaders from the art, entertainment, fashion and media industries arrived in style to the highly anticipated event, that had been hot gossip amongst New York’s It Crowd for a number of days. Caterer Special Attention treated guests to cocktails and canapés as downtown DJ Nick Cohen spun music throughout the evening.


The interesting crowd included notable guests, such as the night’s honoree artist Steven Charles, Marlborough owner Pierre Levai, Andres Serrano, Amanda Hearst, Dalia Oberlander, Donald Sultan, Kim & Michael McCarty, Kate Schelter, Peter Davis, Emma Snowdon-Jones, (our own) ...