Parties You Will Never Get Into

MacDella Cooper, the humanitarian from New York who is also known as “Liberia’s Angel,” revealed her plans for the MCF Academy in Liberia that she carried out with the support of the MacDella Cooper Foundation and her committee of luminaries of media, fashion, and design. She said that the plans would be primarily about the establishment of the first tuition-free school for the less fortunate children in Liberia.

On the final night of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York, the MacDella Cooper Foundation Fashion Week After Party planned to raise $500,000 for the MCF Academy, which will open next year.

“Having escaped the brutality of a decade-long civil war in Liberia myself, I know firsthand that Liberia desperately needs a new generation of empowered, educated individuals to continue its recovery,” said Cooper, who is also the president of the MacDella Cooper Foundation.

The After Party had Winka Dubbeldam’s (the architect for the Academy) designs for the institution. It also had an exclusive Fall 2009 Collection screening by famous fashion designer Korto Momolu, an appearance by a Project Runway Season five finalist as well as a keynote speech by the chief executive officer of Women’s Wholesale at Jones Apparel Group, Susan Metzger. Cocktails were served that night filled with dancing and tunes from DJ Dusko.

Some of the hosts for the MacDella Cooper Foundation Fashion Week After Party were: Interview magazine’s publisher Samantha Fennell, New York Post columnist Julia Szabo, Ralph Lauren Corporate Sonya Pankey, The Rachel Ray Show’s designer Evette Rios, CESLIE-The Women’s Network’s editor-in-chief Ceslie Armstrong and Lifetime Networks’ Barbara Brennan.

Among the honorary chairs of the event were Krystyna Houser, a dedicated sponsor to one of the many academic facilities on the MacDella Cooper Foundation Academy, and Donna Poyaidjais.

First off, before the party-hopping started, the Museum of Modern Art in New York held a celebration of the new retrospective of Ron Arad. The event was hosted by fashion model Linda Evangelista and was attended by some of the most prominent names in the fashion industry: Rachel Zoe, Anouk Lepere, Yigal Azrouël, and Franca Sozzani. They had the chance to get into culture, and probably on the front page by the next day, just before going to back to back parties.

Recording artist and live performer Lady GaGa—who is known for having unique and eccentric live performances topped with her crazy outfits—was performing at the Out magazine’s bash at the Box. It was the third consecutive night that she performed live at the venue. Apparently, an insider said they were only really short sets.

Coco Before Chanel premiered that night on September 16th. It gave the New York crowd the chance to settle down and, for the ladies, to rest their feet from wearing those inches-high stilettos for a few hours. Among those who attended the debut of the film were Agyness Deyn, Charlie Rose, Candice Bergen, and Rachel Bilson. And they most certainly enjoyed the party right after the screening.

Lindsay Lohan & Taylor Momsen

At the G-Star’s show, platinum blonds rising star Taylor Momsen and singer-model-actress Lindsay Lohan (aka LiLo) were spotted at the event huddling together and enjoying the event. Vanity Fair dubbed them as the “Front-Row Doppelgangers” that night.

Finally, Fashion Week would not have been as great as it was if it weren’t for the backing of a Roitfeld, which was proven by Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld who hosted a party for high fashion designer Giorgio Armani that sponsored a Richard Hambleton show. Just a few of the attendants who were excited about the artwork were actor Josh Hartnett, Mary-Kate Olsen, queens of R&B Mary J. Blige, Alicia Keys and Bar Rafaeli. After the exhibition, they went to Indochine, where the party continued until the early hours.

Vogue never fails to impress. Year after year, it brings together people like Hamish Bowles, Grace Coddington, Virginia Smith, and Jeffrey Steingarten into one big bash no one would easily forget.

Vogue’s annual holiday shindig happened on a Wednesday night in Standard Hotel’s well known eighteenth floor, the Boom Boom Room. As the temperatures went down, the merry revelers gathered around the bar poised at the center of the glamorous space. The room was filled with bartenders clad in white jackets and serving glasses of Moët for everyone.

Apart from the free-flowing champagne, the place itself was a reason to feel festive. The Boom Boom Room’s windows, which stretched from floor to ceiling, offer a view of New York City’s breathtaking skyline. Although the place didn’t really need more embellishments, several people had taken the time and extra effort to dress up the place in order to suit the Christmas theme. A white peacock was placed as a finishing touch to the Christmas tree while mistletoe twigs hung from the room’s ceiling.

A bunch of New York A-listers along with Vogue writers, editors, assistants and all the people behind the magazine’s glossy pages indulged themselves in spirited conversation and drinks. The party served as one of perfect excuses to mix vibrant fashion, great drinks, celebrities and bona fide stylistas and tastemakers.

Aside from the much awaited party thrown by Vogue, the eighteenth floor of the Standard Hotel had served as a venue to celebrate the launching of Sasha Lazard’s “Myth of Red” concert series. The promising songstress had celebrated the launch of her concert series along with other fellow musicians including John Mayer, Maggie Rizer and P. Diddy himself.

While the guests of the Vogue Christmas party were served magnums of champagne by white-jacketed bartenders, the party frolickers of the Myth of Red Party were served with unlimited Bang Bang cocktails, the evening’s drink of choice.

The party capping Alexander Wang’s show surfaced as one of New York Fashion Week’s best ever. Gotham’s wildest party animals even likened the merriment to those by Marc Jacobs, only that the latter never held his in a gasoline station.

MAC and Katie Grand engineered the September 12, 2009 party at the Mobil gas station next to Chelsea’s Milk Studios. Come party night, eager revelers swarmed towards 10th Avenue at 15th Street for the elusive ticket. It never came for many non-celebrities, of course.

Even with the gas tanks turned off by Mobil attendants, the aura within this hallowed expanse was one of paranoia. At one point, the DJ had to remind chain-smokers that it was, after all, a gas station. But the edginess was part of the explosive allure.

More than the makeshift bars serving Belvedere vodkas, revelers loved the station’s paid-for-everyone convenience store. Butterfingers and junk foods galore beckoned to the likes of Kirsten Dunst, Jared Leto, Mischa Barton, Agyness Deyn and Lily Donaldson. Pixie Geldof raided shelves of Nerds, as Cup Noodles started going into Alice Dellal’s bag.

Veuve Clicquot champagnes stood side by side with gas station staples like Gatorade and Orbitz gums. Baited with Pop cheeseburgers and fries were names such as Anouck Lepere, Devon Aoki, Kristian Laliberte, Amanda Leigh Dunn, Zev Norotsky, Isabeli Fontana, Trish Goff, Tallulah Harlech, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld, Theodora Richards, Will Blondelle, Jamie Burke and Lykke Li.

Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction was seen negotiating through the port-a-potties to catch the night’s main event: a Courtney Love mini-concert. In between expletives and puffs of fags, the onetime Hole front-woman revisited hits like “Malibu” and covered songs like “Bette Davis Eyes.” Rapper Santigold likewise performed.

BFFs Wang and Erin Wasson took to the stage in the small hours, when the DJ initiated a titanic dance party.

In the end, the Devil does indeed wear Prada.

Clothed in Prada Cruise, American Vogue’s deified editor-in-chief Anna Wintour heralded the premiere of The September Issue with close friends and VIPs. The long-gestating documentary played August 19 at an invitations-only screening party hosted by Wintour in New York City.

Moviegoers were a roll call of fashion overlords. Designers Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan, Vera Wang, Jack McCollough, Jason Wu, Lazaro Hernandez, Richard Chai, Georgina Chapman, Zac Posen and Thakoon Panichgul all made sure to attend, lest they enrage fashion’s legendary “Nuclear Wintour.”

Insiders considered the screening party one of the most important dates for fashion in 2009. After all, the R.J. Cutler-directed documentary is a voyeuristic chronicle of Vogue’s September 2007 edition, one of the thickest magazine issues of all time.

A flood of people vied for a ticket to the premiere, which included a private dinner with the Vogue editrix herself. Despite the limited invites, folding chairs had to be hauled in the venue at the Museum of Modern Art for extraneous viewers.

Wintour accorded the September 2007 cover girl her seat of honor at the screening party. Sienna Miller, who graced the cover in a now-iconic shot by Mario Testino, calmly sat front-row as Wintour impaled her onscreen with icy putdowns.

Indeed, this is the film where Wintour famously dismissed Miller as being “too toothy” for Vogue.

If there were any acrimony between the two, nothing of the sort was seen at the premiere. Arriving with daughter Bee Shaffer, Wintour closely accompanied Miller on the red carpet, the actress clad in a sky-blue mini-dress by Thakoon.

Renée Zellweger, who was also a Vogue cover girl, was included in Wintour’s guest list, along with P. Diddy, Cassie, and Alexa Chung. Models Karlie Kloss, Chanel Iman and Caroline Trentini also came.

Not to be missed at the party were Wintour’s famous Vogue subordinates, Andre Leon Talley and Grace Coddington.

Twenty-three-year-old singer Lady GaGa, not well-known for her conservative attire or opinions, drew stares Monday night with a hat that resembled a cocoon at the the Accessories Council Excellence Awards in New York.

The black lace veil accompanied a rather interesting outfit that included a pink bra over a long sleeved black shirt, shiny hotpants, fishnet stockings and, of course, heels.

Read more and see pictures here.

Needless to say, Lady GaGa was not a recipient of an accessory award this year.

Some of the biggest names in music gathered for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary Concerts last week, Oct. 29 and 30 at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The two concerts included performances by U2, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band, Simon and Garfunkel, Metallica, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Crosby, Stills Nash and Friends, Eric Clapton and many more.

BACARDI, one of the most internationally recognized rums and official spirit sponsor of the concert, showed its support for the program by asking the performers to sign commemorative bottles of BACARDI Reserva Limitada rum, an ultra-premium rum aged between 10 and 16 years.

Twenty-five bottles were auctioned off for charity in recognition of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25th Anniversary. Proceeds from the auction went to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation and Museum.

In honor of these groundbreaking concerts, BACARDI has created a signature cocktail, the BACARDI “Center Stage,” a delicious mix of BACARDI® Superior Rum, fresh lime juice, strawberry puree, cranberry juice and citrus soda. To provide additional support, BACARDI will sponsor events, including the official after party surrounding the 25th Anniversary celebration.

“BACARDI has a long-standing connection and dedication to music,” said Billy Melnyk, senior experiential marketing manager, BACARDI rums. “This unique collaboration of some of music’s greatest legends is an experience that embodies the spirit of BACARDI and one we are proud to be a part of.”

The Ross School, founded by education innovator Courtney Sale Ross, hosted its annual “Social@Ross,” with a percentage of the proceeds going to scholarships for lower-income students. The Ross School, located in the Hamptons in New York, is an exclusive school known for its eclectic curriculum and advanced educational methodologies. Tuition to the school is quite high, but Courtney Sale Ross has set aside a large percentage of admissions for students whose families could not afford the school.

This year’s Social@Ross had a musical lineup to die for. Headliners included Piano Man Billy Joel, funky soul-master Prince, college favorite The Dave Matthews Band, folk legend James Taylor, and classic rockers Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. The series of five concerts went for a whopping $15,000 for all five shows, or $3,000 a show. The 1,500 tickets for each show were completely sold out.

Admission included superb seating, gourmet meals prepared by top chefs, and an intimate atmosphere where concertgoers could mingle with the music stars and celebrities. The evening was sponsored by Cierge, the high-profile executive social networking group.

The evening redefined elegance and sophistication. On the menu were truffle tarlets, flowing champagne, the finest liquor, sushi, salmon, Asian salads, and more traditional fare such as Pop Burgers and hot dogs. Guests even received martini glasses filled with gourmet jelly beans

On hand was school founder Courtney Sale Ross and a long list of A-list celebrities. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Bon Jovi, Londell McMillan, Lizzie Grubman, Christie Brinkley, and L.A. Reid were just a few of the big names who showed up at the concerts. Also attending were Edie Falco, Aidia Turturro, Jay-Z, Ron Burkle, Steve Bing, and Marci Klein. Mo Osten was spotted sitting and chatting with Courtney Sale Ross.

On site, concert-goers enjoyed perfect seating in sling back beach chairs, without a bad seat in the house. Tables were covered with black linen and decorated with candles and purple flowers and pillows. But all this luxury was set up for a great cause: ensuring that some of the country’s best and brightest students got a shot at attending the Ross School. For Courtney Sale Ross, it’s not money that should determine your educational goals, but only imagination and discipline.

Reinstituting Britannia on American soil, Prince Harry of Wales mounted his steed for a special polo engagement May 30 in New York City. The game highlights His Royal Highness’ two-day visit to America, only his second time ever.

New Yorkers, from the well-heeled to the ordinary, filed on ferries bound for Governors Island to gawk at the royal. His Royal Highness, 24, last visited America when he was just a child.

Prince Harry, playing in Nick Roldan’s team, floored Black Watch, which was led by Argentine polo champ/Ralph Lauren model Nacho Figueras.

While the game had princely overtones, everybody was welcome. Commoners, many of whom had never seen a prince before, watched the game for free west of the gargantuan pitch. The polo match raised funds for Sentebale, Prince Harry’s nonprofit group benefiting Lesotho.

Saturday’s game was far from classless though. While dressed-down spectators enjoyed the game from bleachers, a different scene was at play across the pitch.

Swilling founts of Veuve Clicquot, aristocrats lunched inside air-conditioned tents, where table seats cost $50,000 each. Organizers also indulged guests with blankets and lawn chairs for some leisurely sprawling on the lawn.

Moët Hennessy USA chief executive Mark Cornell was on hand to take care of drinkers. St. Regis’ star chef Sandro Micheli concocted the fare, which included cream tea, asparagus salads, gourmet cookies, and other pastries.

Deferring to tradition, guests donned their best summer finery, the women donning hats of all shapes. LL Cool J even traded rapper’s wear for a waspier ensemble. Meanwhile, Polo Ralph Lauren’s David Lauren witnessed his company’s logo come to life.

New York First Lady Michelle Page Patterson did the match’s throw-in. Later, during the halftime breather, flat-shoed guests ceremonially trod on the horse-made divots.

Pop royal Madonna, escorted by shutterbug Steven Klein and her two sons, breezed in around this time, amid commotion. Louis Vuitton’s Marc Jacobs sat beside the singer, some distance away from fellow designer Donna Karan. Models Hilary Rhoda and Alek Wek strutted around the tent.

Now on its second year, the Veuve Clicquot Manhattan Polo Classic gathering also drew Vikram Chatwal, Veronica Webb, Byrdie Bell, Joann Pailey, Rachel Roy, Dustin Yellin, Sophia Hesketh, Peter Brant, Samantha Boardman Rosen, Lucy Sykes Rellie, Cornelia Guest, Amy Sacco, Matt Lauer, Kate Hudson, and Chloë Sevigny.

Fuchsia and pink heated New York City as its fashion, business, and showbiz authorities showed up in full support of a fundraiser by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). Titled “Hottest Pink Party Ever,” the party ordered invitees to show up dressed in the color on April 8, 2008 at the Waldorf-Astoria.

Gwyneth Paltrow wore a fabulous outfit in the prescribed color. She was one of 1,200 faces who swarmed the hotel’s gathering, which was underwritten by the Hearst Corporation, Time Inc., Wrangler, and Condé Nast Publications.

Elizabeth Hurley, who is married to Indian entrepreneur Arun Nayar, donned a pink-tinged sari to the event. She also emceed it and publicly acknowledged BCRF Founder and Chairperson Evelyn Lauder.

She was all praises for Lauder, whom she called the “hottest gal of all.” Evelyn Lauder’s niece, Aerin Lauder Zinterhoffer, assisted her as she went onstage to give a speech. Aerin is Estée Lauder’s granddaughter.

BCRF’s Chairman of the Executive Board of Scientific Advisors, Dr. Larry Norton, also spoke to the assembly. He related his experiences as Director for the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s breast cancer programs.

Sir Elton John brought the house down in a seismic show with his band. John’s mini-concert honored is good friend, the late Linda Stein. Stein was a member of the BCRF Advisory Board. John had partner David Furnish in tow.

The night’s other ostentatious guests included Project Runway winning designer Christian Siriano, and world class designers Vera Wang, Tommy Hilfiger, and Donna Karan.

BCRF also enticed David Alan Basche, Padma Lakshmi, Dee Ocleppo, Myra Biblowit, and Katrina Bowden to attend the important event. Television’s ambassadors included Deborah Norville, Carson Kressley, and celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito.

Celebrants left the gala with $5 million in funds raised for breast cancer research.

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