Parties You Will Never Get Into

President Bill Clinton suited up on October 7, 2009 for the New York Historical Society History Makers Gala. However, the annual affair largely celebrated the life of another US president, Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln’s shadow was all over guests at the gala, which was held at the New York Historical Society’s swanky Manhattan headquarters. The gala served to inaugurate the first major museum exhibit associating Lincoln with New York City.

President Clinton was there to kick off the Lincoln exhibit with a keynote address. He was also on hand to accept the 2009 History Makers Award from the Society.

This exhibition was the culmination of the NY Historical Society’s yearlong celebration of Lincoln’s birthday bicentenary. The Society first marked that milestone in February with an exhibit of Lincoln’s handwritten documents.

Titled “Lincoln and New York,” the newer exhibit chronicled Abe Lincoln’s Gotham experiences, from his historic campaign speech in Cooper Union to his funeral procession through the city. It came with hundreds of documents, paintings, and artifacts, including the lectern from which the Cooper Union speech was delivered.

Brooks Brothers, Inc. lent the exhibit a faithfully made replica of one of Lincoln’s suits. The former president wore it first at his second inauguration and then on the day of his assassination in 1865.

Costing $2.5 million, the Lincoln exhibit was lead-sponsored by JP Morgan Chase & Co. Other sponsors included the US Department of Education, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Underground Railroad Educational and Cultural Program.

Gala-goers produced anywhere between $1,000 and $5,000 to gain entrance to the black-tie gala dinner. They were, in turn, served sumptuous food such as lamb chops coupled with parmesan paves.

Expensive tables were no object to the well-heeled guests, which included Bernard Schwartz, Philip Mirrer-Singer, and Emily Kimball.

Chairing the gala were Stuart Rabin, Patricia Klingenstein, Roger Hertog, Martin Gross, Richard Gilder, Diana Roesch DiMenna, Ravenel Curry III, Judith Roth Berkowitz, and Helen Appel. Lazard Freres & Co. Senior Managing Director Vernon Jordan was honorary chair.

Louise Mirrer, the Society’s president and CEO, attended. Understandably, the gala would benefit her organization’s future exhibits and philanthropic projects.

Two days after the gala, “Lincoln and New York” opened to the general public.

For as long as there are gulfs in income, Tatler has always been in existence. One of the world’s oldest magazines, Tatler has assiduously stalked the loftiest strata of social class since Queen Anne’s reign.

In commemoration of its 300th anniversary, the publication mounted a party of the bacchanalian order on Oct. 14, 2009. Party planners threw the bash where it all began: London’s majestic Lancaster House, where Tatler started its first photographic party coverage in 1901.

Seven-hundred people, representing a cross section of blue-blooded royalty, grand nobility, landed gentry, and new money, responded to the invitation. There to swill endless founts of champagne were social heavyweights like Sir Philip Green, Manolo Blahnik, and Marie Chantal of Greece. Amid servings of canapés and slices of a human-sized cake, one could also find Sir Stuart Rose, Talulah Harlech, Rupert Everett and Peaches Geldof.

Vogue UK’s editor Alexandra Shulman was also around, along with Nicholas Coleridge, vice-president of Tatler’s parent company, Condé Nast International. Also gracing the bash with their presence was Samantha Cameron and siblings Robert, Sophia and Emily Sheffield, Vogue UK’s deputy editor.

Marking this once-in-a-lifetime signpost was the new Tatler editor, Catherine Ostler. Former editor of ES, Ostler succeeded the post vacated by Geordie Greig in February. In effect, she inherited editing duties for the magazine’s November edition, also known as its tri-centennial anniversary issue.

Ostler did not disappoint though. The resultant anniversary issue was a highly special collector’s edition, an unmistakable postage-stamp head shot of Queen Elizabeth II splayed on its cover. Described as “300 years of Mischief,” the special issue came in three variations.

Tatler began as early as 1709, when British journalists Richard Steele and Joseph Addison looked to disseminate tittle-tattle in the coffee shops to a wider audience. Centuries later, in 1901, Tatler was reborn, changing the way society rags are made forever.

It snowed stars and socialites inside Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City as UNICEF threw its annual Snowflake Ball on Dec. 2, 2009.

Belying its icy subtext, the Snowflake Ball was actually warm with the charitable hearts of its guests. Two of the invitees were feted for their fiery humanitarian efforts: Island Def Jam Music Group Chairman Antonio “L.A.” Reid and UNICEF’s Ethiopia representative Ted Chaiban. The former received UNICEF’s Spirit of Compassion Award; the other, an Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award.

Music luminary Mariah Carey, who came with husband Nick Cannon, was on hand to introduce her Island Def Jam boss to the stage. However, the singing duties went to fellow Island recording artist Chrisette Michele.

Besides the awarding, the gala served to commemorate the lighting of the humongous UNICEF Snowflake. Hung high above Fifth Avenue and 57th Street, the Snowflake is a larger-than-life reminder to Gotham dwellers that, indeed, ‘tis the season not to be frosty. Anyone in their million-dollar cars would notice the 28-foot high leviathan, scintillating with 16,000 Baccarat crystal prisms.

UNICEF’s Snowflake was donated by the Stonbely Family Foundation. True to form, Christine Stonbely co-chaired the Snowflake Ball with Claudia Lebenthal. George Stonbely was also present, along with Barbara Bush and Maggie Betts, who served as the affair’s junior co-chairs. Charlotte Moss and Pamela Fiori, in turn, acted as chairs of the Snowflake Project.

Hosted by Al Roker, the Snowflake Gala was attended by U.S. Fund for UNICEF’s CEO and President Caryl Stern. Also spotted at the gala were actors Tea Leoni and David Duchovny.

Hugh Hildesley from Sotheby’s led a live auction. Moneyed invitees bid on items like a private dinner with Star Chef and UNICEF Ambassador Marcus Samuelsson and a photo shoot with shutterbugs Vinoodh Matadin and Inez van Lamsweerde.

Before the night ended, UNICEF raised $1.9 million. An unsurprising sum, as invitees included Jenna Bush Hager, Lauren Bush, Erica Reid, David Lauren, Vern Yip, Muffie Potter Aston, Somers Farkas, Anthony Pantaleoni, Matt Lauer, Dikembe Mutombo, Dayle Haddon, Gillian Miniter, Bryant Gumbel, Gelila Assefa, Wolfgang Puck, Fareed Zakaria, Paula Zakaria, Jaime Jimenez, Deborah Roberts, Michael Belleveau, Sandra Lee, and Dave Lieberman.

Invitees had dinner prepared in part by Marcus Samuelsson’s eatery Aquavit. Popular restaurateurs Jean-Georges Vongerichten and Alfred Portale also livened up the evening’s gastronomic delights.

Several of Tinseltown’s finest beauties converged at Essence Magazine’s Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon last March 6. Names like Serena Williams, Nia Long, Keri Hilson, Vivica Fox, Anika Noni Rose, Joy Bryant, Paula Patton, and Leila Ali attended the soiree, held at Los Angeles’ Beverly Hills Hotel.

Now on its third annum, the luncheon was timed with the magazine’s 40th anniversary. In turn, the hotel’s Crystal Ballroom was converted into a scene straight off Truman Capote’s historic Black and White Ball.

Essence Beauty and Cover Director Mikki Taylor served as the hostess for the event, which paid tribute to females who have made Black Hollywood proud in the past year. Unknown to her, Taylor had also been up for a tribute during the affair, for working with the magazine since it was 10 years old.

Following an overture by rapper Common, the scene was soon set for the Best Breakthrough Performance award. Precious Director Lee Daniels presented it to the film’s lead star Gabourey Sidibe.

Sidibe was then up for an Academy Award, just like fellow guest James Cameron. The world-famous director was present to give the Star to Watch Award to his Avatar co-worker Zoe Saldana.

Mary J. Blige, in her speech for receiving the Songstress of the Year award, openly expressed her newfound admiration for Sidibe. Taraji P. Henson presented the award to Blige after a performance of “Can’t Give Up Now” by Mary Mary.

With Viola Davis, Laurence Fishburne handed the Legend Award to Cicely Tyson. The fabled Harlem native gave a monologue in lieu of an acceptance speech, inciting a standing ovation.

But the night’s most emotionally charged moment came when Jada Pinkett-Smith presented Queen Latifah with the Power Award. The wife of celebrity Will Smith honored the singer-actress with a video tribute to the latter’s early music and artistic growth, which moved everyone to tears.

Before Lady GaGa was born, there was already Grace Jones. In the old days, one trusted Grace Jones to put on concerts bordering on disco theatrics and out-and-out madness. At the anniversary bash of Viktor & Rolf’s perfume, partygoers were able to briefly relive her glory days.

Dutch designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren arranged for the legendary diva to mark five years of Flowerbomb, their label’s wildly lucrative fragrance. A thousand guests packed the ballroom of Paris’ Le Meurice Hotel — including the likes of Jade Jagger, Renzo Rosso, Anouck Lepere, Afef Jnifen Tronchetti, Provera Lou Doillon, Keziah Jones, Renzo Rosso, Carmen Kass, Gareth Pugh, Daria Werbowy, Elettra Wiedemann, and Liya Kebede — to celebrate with the duo.

Guests were noticeably on the edge prior to Jones’ arrival, jostling for the best seats in the house. The designers had most of them in the VIP section however, which they shared with pals like Jessica Stam and Karolina Kurkova.

Then, around 12 midnight, Jones sashayed into the stage, wrenching an ecstatic cry from the crowd. Wearing a sable unitard with humongous sleeves, a Philip Treacy mask, and a flat-top hairdo, Grace Jones looked every bit the Lady GaGa precursor. She began her set with “La Vie en Rose,” which she proceeded to pepper with booty shakes and provocative commentary.

At 62, Jones still had the fashion instinct of a young, bold pop princess. Halfway into her performance, she tugged her leotard tightly, forming a thong, and yelled, “I’m ready when you are!”

Finally, it was time to sing the birthday song to the perfume, personified as a gigantic box. She sung it with the designers onstage.

“This is the first time I’ve sung happy birthday to a perfume,” she jested to the audience.

Lindsay Lohan failed to catch the Jones gig, arriving from London just as guests were trickling out.

Viktor & Rolf’s Flowerbomb now ranks among the bestselling fragrances in the world. The designers created the scent in collaboration with L’Oréal.

Model par excellence Natalia Vodianova has a heart — a Naked Heart Foundation, that is. Each year, she mounts the Love Ball, a glamorous fundraising rendezvous for her nonprofit organization.

This year’s fundraising was held at Camden’s Roundhouse in London on Feb. 23. Sponsored in part by De Beers, the ball fetched £1.2 million for the foundation, which erects children’s playgrounds in Vodianova’s native Russia.

While guest Elizabeth Hurley diverted some with her see-through sari, hostess Natalia Vodianova certainly got the most attention at the bash. She arrived wearing a shimmery diamond necklace called Magic Moment, which she designed with De Beers. By night’s end, the necklace had a new owner, who shelled out £180,000 for it.

Others made similar costly bids for artists’ opuses. Peter Blake’s artwork, “I Love You,” was auctioned for £160,000 while a sculpture by Jake and Dinos Chapman earned £135,000. Tracey Emin, in a speech, pronounced the latter’s auction “an absolute bargain.” She herself drew some generous bids, for her piece “With You I Breathe.”

Works by artists Jeff Koons, Keith Tyson, Pavel Pepperstein, Francesco Vezzoli, Gosha Ostretsov, Anselm Reyle and Marc Quinn were also featured.

In between biddings, guests were entertained with musical performances, beginning with Yusuf Islam’s incredible rendition of Natalia Vodianova’s personal favorite, “Where Do the Children Play?” Another highlight was a number by British songstress Leona Lewis. The music of Kristof Barati, Paloma Faith, Sharleen Spiteri and Ruby Wax also wafted through the Roundhouse.

Having a ball that evening were such belles as Kate Moss, Donna Karan, Rachel Zoe and Carolina Herrera. Diane von Furstenberg, fresh off the show of her House’s outgoing creative director Nathan Jenden, was also present. Other guests included Mario Testino, Stella McCartney, Jacquetta Wheeler, David Gandy, Amber Le Bon, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Paloma Faith and Matthew Williamson. Harper’s Bazaar Editor Lucy Yeomans co-hosted the affair.

Love Ball 2010 was also sponsored by Louis Vuitton, Gagosian, and Christie’s.

Wonderland bled into the real world on Feb. 25, 2010 as Walt Disney Pictures’ honchos celebrated the world premiere of its hit flick Alice in Wonderland. A coterie of stars came out on the rain-soaked green carpet for the event, held at Leicester Square in London.

Braving the London rain was no less than The Mad Hatter himself, Johnny Depp. He was closely followed by co-stars Helena Bonham-Carter and Anne Hathaway, who played the tyrannical Red Queen and her White antithesis, respectively.

However, the two beauties did not provide the “royal” factor to the premiere; real-life royals actually attended the premiere. Charles, the Prince of Wales, and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, attended as guests who truly held court that Thursday evening.

Their royal highnesses eventually huddled with guests at the rabbit hole: the nearby Sanderson Hotel, with its atrium transformed as the evening’s Wonderland. Here, Mia Wasikowska (who sported a cropped mane), the Aussie newbie who portrayed Lewis Carroll’s beloved heroine, held her own among veteran thespians and patrician partygoers.

Bonham-Carter’s husband and the film’s director, Tim Burton, led a menagerie of Wonderland residents to the party. Attending it were Alan Rickman, who played Absolem, the blue caterpillar; Stephen Fry, the Cheshire Cat; Matt Lucas, Tweedledum and Tweedledee; Michael Sheen, the White Rabbit; Paul Whitehouse, the March Hare; Barbara Windsor, the Dormouse; Timothy Spall, the Bayard; and Christopher Lee, the Jabberwocky.

Crispin Glover, Lily Cole, and Sharon Osbourne also joined the mad premiere party, along with infamous “kissers” David Walliams and James Corden. Pop-punk chanteuse Avril Lavigne, who sang the film’s titular soundtrack, was also in attendance, as was Texas vocalist Sharleen Spiteri.

Alice in Wonderland’s Royal World Premiere transpired in aid of The Prince’s Foundation for Children & the Arts. This nonprofit strives to enhance the lives of children in Britain and Northern Ireland, such that they would rediscover and appreciate the arts.

Celebrities were all about charity this year and most were found attending parties around the 82nd Academy Awards that celebrated the spirit of giving. The Night Before gala, hosted in Hollywood on the Saturday before the Oscars, was set to raise money for the Motion Picture & Television Fund. This organization provides individuals in the Southern California entertainment industry with health and human services needs.

The event was held at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Guests included Katie Holmes, Tom Cruise, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Bridges, Robert Downey Jr., and several other attendees.

On Sunday, Oscar night, the celebrities came around again for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. His organization works to fund educational programs regarding HIV/AIDS prevention as well as striving to eliminate discrimination against individuals with HIV/AIDs. The program also provides tangible services for those affected by the disease.

This event was held at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood where guests were entertained by Grace Jones. The party had many guests including Adam Levine, Chace Crawford, Heidi Klum, Jason Mraz, Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Tim Allen, Victoria Beckham, and several others.

While the Oscars brought about several surprises, it was the after event Oscar parties where things became incredibly strange.

Tinsley Mortimer, who will soon be starring in her own reality shore, High Society, was seen rubbing elbows with the cast of Jersey Shore. Despite that she’s one of the Park Avenue elite, she was ecstatic about meeting the personalities behind the successful MTV reality show. Mortimer said the cast is “so funny and so themselves”. She also said that she’d love to hang out with the gang on the Upper East Side.

She had previously run into “The Situation” and “Pauly D” while recording a voiceover for her show. It just so happened that the pair of Jersey boys were shooting The Rachael Ray Show in the same studio. More recently, she had the opportunity to work with “J-Woww”, “Snookie”, and “Sammi”.

Mortimer is a graduate of Columbia University and a Dior beauty ambassador. She’s hoping that her new reality show will show the imperfections in her life. She wants people to know that just because she grew up with a privileged lifestyle doesn’t mean that her life is easy.

There are also rumors that the future reality star is dating ex-American Idol contestant, Constantine Maroulis, however she’s not confirming anything.

Life is a cabaret. This goes for all the tastemakers in Germany. No slump in the economy is stopping these people from reveling at the Mercedes-Benz Berlin Fashion Week. This year’s Berlin Fashion Week was kicked off by Hugo Boss’ Boss Black runway presentation, which was followed by a post-show soiree at the Hamburger Bahnhof museum.

The likes of Matt Dillon and Hillary Swank gathered inside a massive tent behind the stage. The excitement of the event was mirrored by the ambience of the party. All sorts of beautiful people were impossible to miss as they roamed the L.E.D.-lit dance floors. Apart from that, the place was also filled with high tech digital projections and magnums of champagnes.

Berlin’s merrymaking throng had continued to party their way to Friday at the historic Friedrichstadt Palast Theater, where the second-annual Style Nite was held. The event showcased three of Berlin’s most talked about labels: Kaviar Gauche, Michalsky, and Lala Berlin. The event had taken the conventional flashy display of fashion up a notch. The event, which went on for about four hours, kindled the love for musical theater among these Berlin fashionistas. The event welcomed all 2,000 martini-swigging guests with a presentation of Lala Berlin’s collection for the season.

Right after Lala Berlin presented his final fashion masterpiece, a dancer clad in a Kaviar Gauche mirrored bodysuit took the crowd’s attention as she swiveled under laser beams. What came next was Bella Berlin the Dancer followed by Michalsky’s Heinrich Zille-inspired couture collection. The event, which was far from disappointing, was sealed with a timeless performance from Spandau Ballet.

After showcasing all the creations of Berlin’s biggest names in Fashion, the crowd of revelers moved to a more sedated party scene at the Bebelplatz, where they partied on with pyrotechnics, booze and gossip aplenty.