This week, an array of events were held to celebrate new product launches, exhibition openings, and more. For this edition of Friday Fête, we’re sharing details from parties hosted by Art Production Fund, PUBLIC, LaQuan Smith, and more.
Photo by Marcus Cooper, courtesy of Fiorucci.
On Tuesday in Los Angeles, the Italian fashion house Fiorucci opened its pop-up at Fred Segal’s flagship location on Sunset Boulevard. Shoppable through April 30, the space celebrates the comeback of brick-and-mortar shopping and the return of Coachella. Centered around its Spring/Summer 2022 “Desert Oasis” collection and campaign (shot in Joshua Tree by Marcus Cooper), the temporary shop is filled with items inspired by Fiorucci’s past, such as crochet knits, silk shirts, mini slip dresses with asymmetric hems, baseball caps, and embellished canvas bags.
Sanford Biggers, Casey Fremont Crowe, courtesy of Art Production Fund.
That night in New York, Art Production Fund hosted the return of its benefit gala after two years. In partnership with Saks, the “APF Reunion” honored Sanford Biggers through an auction that raised over $700,000 in support of the organization’s mission to produce public art projects. There, three hundred guests gathered at The Seagram Building to support the arts community, toasting with Ruinart champagne or martinis poured through a custom ice luge. A special performance by Cheer New York kicked off the festivities, followed by an immersive Gucci-presented performance by Biggers’s multimedia band Moon Medicin. Guests included Casey Fremont, Kathleen Lynch, Doreen Remen, Yvonne Force Villareal, Amy Astley, Amy Phelan, Aurora James, Cece Barfield Thompson, Chloe Wise, Cynthia Rowley, Derrick Adams, Dustin Yellin, Isolde Brielmaier, Peter Marino, Prabal Gurung, and more.
Ian Schrager and Nile Rogers, photo by Mike Vitelli, courtesy of PUBLIC.
Also that night but downtown at PUBLIC, Ian Schrager and Nile Rodgers co-hosted around 150 guests to a night of music and cocktails at Bar Chrystie. There to kick off the hotel’s new music programming were Schrager and Nile, who both spoke about the start of the musician’s career at the hotelier’s famed nightclub Studio 54. Guests included Vashtie Kola, Rex de Tiger, Marja Samson, Blu de Tiger, and more, who danced into early hours to tunes by Rogers, like his best-selling hit “Freak Out.”
Sophia Heriveaux, Noelle Heriveaux, Jeanine Basquiat, Christiano Siriano, Lisane Basquiat, Jessica Kelly, photo by BFA, courtesy of Bombay Sapphire.
On Wednesday, an opening party for “Jean-Michel Basquiat: King Pleasure” was held at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Manhattan. After a private exhibition viewing for special attendees of over 200 never-before and rarely-seen works, a cocktail party was hosted by Basquiat’s sisters Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux. Guests like Wyclef, Spike Lee, Padma Lakshmi, Anna Wintour, Anna Sui, Marcus Samuelsson, David Adjaye, Anna Sui, Heron Preston, Christian Siriano, Heron Preston and Telfar Clemens joined the crowd, toasting with the Bombay Sapphire cocktail that celebrated the exhibition named King Meets Queen.
Beaujangless, Janelle No.5, Xunami Muse, photo by BFA, courtesy of LaQuan Smith.
And on Thursday night, LaQuan Smith and Saks welcomed fashion patrons to a game night at Temple Bar. There to enjoy enjoyed an evening of fashion-focused games and live performances led by performers Janelle No. 5, Beaujangles, and Xunami Muse, were guests like Selah Marley, Tayshia Adams, Violetta Komyshan, Dave East, Cyndi Ramirez-Fulton, Roopal Patel, among others. Throughout the night, attendees indulged in light bites and cocktails provided by Temple Bar’s renowned bartenders, Michael Mcllroy and Sam Ross, too.
