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| Fall in the air. 11 AM. Photo: JH. |
Wednesday, September 12, 2012. Beautiful, sunny day with temperatures in the mid-60s, and a hint of the autumn season in the light.
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| Betsy Johnson celebrates 70! (Photo by Steve Eichner via WWD) |
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I went down to Michael’s(for the first time in a couple of weeks) to lunch with Jesse Kornbluth (HeadButler.com). The traffic was at a crawl midtown. I was fifteen minutes late but Jesse was busy reading a book. He reads more (and about more) than anyone I know. We are never at loss for words since I ask a lot of questions and he has a lot of answers. Michael’s was back-to-autumn busy but we were so engrossed that I saw few.
Last night had so much going on even if you weren’t in the fashion business or a fashionista. Designer Betsey Johnson was showing her Spring 2013 Fashion Collection and celebrating her 70th with a Bash afterwards at Espace on 635 West 42nd Street. Ms. Johnson’s still a kid, after all these years.
Over at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) on Columbus Circle, they were hosting an opening night benefit evening for their annual “LOOT Mad About Jewelry” sale followed by a benefit dinner honoring designer Axel Russmeyer at MAD’s Robert restaurant.
This sale features one-of-a-kind contemporary jewelry created by 50 of the world’s most innovative studio and art jewelers. The sale runs through today (Wednesday) from 11 – 6 (Thursday and Friday until 9) and Saturday 11 – 6. Proceeds help support the Museum’s jewelry exhibitions and educational programs. |
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Eimear Conyard
Wrist Watch
14ct Yellow Gold Handmade Box Catch and 14ct Gold Strap Swiss ETA Quartz Movement |
Jacqueline Cullen
Ring
Whitby jet, 18ct gold granulation |
Lucia Corral
Necklace
Horn |
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While over on Beekman Place at the same hour, Janet Ruttenberg was giving a cocktail reception in honor of Gloria Vanderbilt and her new show which opens tonight at the 1stdibs Gallery on the 10th floor of 200 Lexington: “The World of Gloria Vanderbilt: Collages, Dream Boxes and Recent Paintings.”
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| Patterns, 1971. Oil on Canvas. |
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The selling exhibition features more than 50 works of Gloria. This is Gloria’s first show since 2006. The show will run from Friday, September 13 through October 24th. The Preview Party will benefit the Huntsville Museum of Art
Mrs. Ruttenberg’s apartment overlooks the East River (and the brand new FDR Four Freedoms Park on Roosevelt Island, which will be officially dedicated October 17th). At 7 yesterday evening, the sun setting in the West cast a golden shadow on the river and Brooklyn to the southwest.
I didn’t have much time to mingle but I could see that the light gave the reception a beautiful light and you could see that the guests were feeling its glow too -- including on the guest of honor who was wearing golden yellow and looking as magical as ever.
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| Gloria yesterday at the Ruttenberg reception with Dr. Andrew Slaby (l.) and Freddie Eberstadt (r). |
| The view of the FDR Memorial at the southern tip of Roosevelt Island, and Queens beyond. |
| The FDR Drive at bottom, looking southwest across the East River towards Brooklyn last night at sunset ... |
| I went from there over to 11 West 42nd across from the New York Public Library to the new Oscar de la Renta headquarters for Oscar’s 2013 Spring Fashion collection scheduled for 7:30. This is the 3rd or 4th time Oscar has shown his collection in his new headquarters which overlook the Library, Bryant Park, the Empire State, and last night you could see the new Freedom Tower downtown. It was a beautiful sunset, which unfortunately my camera couldn’t record well, but the colors streaming through the sky behind the towers were soft and bright pastels. When Oscar’s show began, many of those same tones came down the runway as if it were all part of some Grand Plan. Ellin Saltzman was there and she can tell you all about it on her fashion diary. |
| Guests waiting in the lobby of 11 West 42nd Street before the Oscar de la Renta Spring 2013 Collection. |
| Looking across Bryant Park from the Oscar de la Renta showrooms toward the Empire State. The tower in the distance to the right of the Empire State is the new World Trade Tower. 7:30 pm. |
| Seats awaiting Alexandra Lind Rose, Marina Rust Connor, and Julie Macklowe. |
| The shoes are any show although they were moving too quickly to take their seats for my Canon to capture the array. |
| The night before last I was invited to a cocktail party at Breitling with Mark Sanchez of the Jets as the guest of honor. I went down there thinking I'd get a shot of Sanchez for the Diary. When I arrived, the party was on three levels, the second level being the most populated. I was told that Sanchez was up there. And when I went to the staircase I was told there would be a wait to go up there. I left and walked around the corner to get some pictures of Bergdorfs, which is celebrating its 111th anniversary in business. They've always got great windows ... |
| The mansion of Cornelius Vanderbilt II which occupied the west side of the block between 57th and 58th Streets on Fifth Avenue. This was the house where Gloria Vanderbilt's father Reginald grew up as well as Wendy Vanderbilt's grandfather Alfred Vanderbilt and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney. Built in 1882, it was demolished in 1927 to make way for Bergdorf Goodman. |
| Just as the Oscar de la Renta collection was finishing, up on Madison Avenue and 76th Street the Café Carlyle was opening its Autumn Season with Judy Collins making her annual appearance. I missed last night’s opening but I’ll see her before she closes on September 29th. With a voice from the angels and a style that comforts and reassures, she brings clarity with her songs and playing that briefly obscures this helter-skelter chaos roaring around us. Dinner seatings from 6:30pm; Performance begins at 8:45. 212-695-7400. |
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