NEW YORK, Sep 14, 2005/ FW/ – Getting ready and scheduling the evening at a fashion week can become difficult if not carefully planned.Conscious of the tight schedule ahead of us tonight, I had called our hotel concierge in the morning to reserve a town car with a driver for the evening.
This kind of luxury can help when you constantly have to commute between midtown locations and downtown venues. Then there is the “what should I wear” problem.
Fashion writers and designers are supposed to look good in any circumstance and with a style that fits the occasion… Anyway, we were in the mood of getting dressed up when our hotel concierge informs us that there is no town car, or limo available tonight in town before 9:00 because of the U.N. summit which seemed to have hired every town car located less than 50 miles away.
That’ s the kind of bad surprise you don’t want when you are hesitating between a black shirt and a striped black and white shirt both with matching ties, or maybe a mixture of the two.
The bellman managed -despite the UN summit- to find a cab for us and we arrived just on time at the party that Cartier was holding at Gotham Hall ‘for a night in Cartier paradise, to celebrate the blooming of a precious jewel and to honor the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund”.
Going past security was really difficult for anyone who had forgotten their velvet invitation, but once we had passed security we were very warmly welcomed on the red carpet by Bernard Fornas and Frederic de Narp, respectively President and CEO of Cartier Intl. and of Cartier North America.
Inside Gotham Hall, Cartier’s paradise was dark red, and the phallaenopsis orchids in shades of purple were discreetly evoking the House’s new line “Caresse d’Orchidees”. The inspiration was clear for the jewels displayed all around the room: rings, necklaces and earrings, were all shaped, paved and colored with the strange mysterious appeal conveyed by these exquisite flowers.
Meetings with some A-list New Yorkers are always pleasant, especially at an English-French bilingual party attended by Carmen Electra, Andre-Leon Talley, Carolyn Murphy, Kirsten Dunst and Rachel Weisz.
It was a pleasure also to meet our Paris friends Kapauf and Olga, the founders of the French glossy Citizen K international. What was their favorite show in New York so far, Kapauf answered as a very witty fashion pundit: “Avenue Q” !
We just had the time to jump to our hotel and get equipped with another attire before confronting the entirely different crowd that was queuing on East 27th street, in front of the Happy Valley club: the venue, designed by Jeremy Scott himself, was the other place to be and be seen yesterday, as the designer was hosting the party after his “King Tut TV” collection shown at the Altman building.
Packed just like a boat going down the Nile with a set of the best Soho and Nolita clubbers and trendsetters, the sound was amazing! From a giant mirrored disco ball a DJ was sending strong pulsing sounds that made everybody vibrate to their bones. It was as if Jeremy Scott’s and his numerous friends had gathered for a revival of the Studio 54 mythic nights.
The only wish we could have for a better night out on the town would be the mixing of these two very successful parties and brilliant crowds in a place still to be created. But aren’t the rivers Seine and Nile too far away to ever meet and mingle in New York City? If only the party hosted by Patrick McDonald, Amanda Lepore and the Blonds tomorrow night at Duvet could make this miracle come true…
[JEAN PAUL CAUVIN]
Illustration by JULIEN FOURNIE
Ideal Party ! Illustration by Julien Fournié
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