With the holiday season upon us, this special edition of Friday Fête takes you behind the scenes of unmissable happenings—from the 10th anniversary celebration at Pioneer Works and Faena Art’s annual gala to a Thierry Mugler retrospective opening at the Brooklyn Museum and more.
Tai’Aysha; Photo by David X Prutting/BFA.com, courtesy of Faena Art.
On November 10 at the Faena Forum Miami Beach, the non-profit arts organization Faena Art celebrated its annual gala with this year’s dynamic theme, “Patterns of Paradise,” presented by Chase Sapphire. In a lively evening of art, music, and culinary surprises, Faena Art awarded the Faena Prize for the Arts to artist Paula de Solminihac, whose proposal will be exhibited at Faena Beach for the city’s upcoming Art Week. Guests honored the universal ties that bind one culture to another by wearing disparate patterns, and the best-dressed attendees at the gala won a luxurious two-night getaway at the penthouse in the Faena Hotel. VIP attendees—such as the Mayor of Miami Beach Dan Gelber, SiriusXM President and Chief Content Officer Scott Greenstein, model Adriana Lima, collectors Don and Mera Rubell, and journalist Stefano Tonchi—viewed an artistic exhibition by Xander Ferreira, danced to music by Kianí del Valle and Gazelle, and tasted outstanding culinary delights by Chef Erik Ramírez, Francis Mallman, and Paul Qui.
On November 11 in Brooklyn, Pioneer Works—the non-profit cultural center focused on strengthening the arts and sciences community, founded by Dustin Yellin—held its 10th anniversary Village Fête in honor of Marilyn and Jim Simons of the Simons Foundation. Co-chairs Gabriela and Austin Hearst showed unwavering support for the foundation’s mission to aid essential scientific research in our rapidly evolving world. Special attendees—including artists Derrick Adams and Mickalene Thomas, filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, photographer Nicholas Braun, and actor Jemima Kirke—enjoyed cocktails, dinner, and an after party with live music.
Lupita Nyong’o, Fiona Nyong’o; courtesy of Battalion PR and De Beers.
On Monday in New York, De Beers hosted a star-studded dinner to honor Lupita Nyong’o as its inaugural Global Brand Ambassador. The sparkling evening debuted the new ad campaign “Where It Begins” with the CEO of De Beers Brands, Marc Jacheet, and CEO of De Beers Jewellers, Céline Assimon. Gusts like the artist Kennedy Yanko, fashion designer Victor Glemaud, celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger, and American Ballet Theatre principal dancer Calvin Royal III were treated to a surprise musical presentation by Chlöe. A three-course dinner by Chef Rōze Traore—a Le Cordon Bleu and Eleven Madison Park alum—was inspired by the magical creation of a De Beers diamond.
Courtesy of Swarovski.
Monday in New York was a night to remember as Swarovski presented a shimmering gingerbread fantasy atmosphere at The Mark Hotel. The brand’s CEO Alexis Nasard and Creative Director Giovanna Engelbert brought close friends together for a cozy dinner enveloped by vibrant nutcrackers, fanciful ornaments, sleek crystal decorations, and decadent Signum collection homewares. Special guests such as Alex Wek, Talita von Furstenberg, Frieda Pinto, Hari Nef, Ananya Panday, Emily Alyn Lind, Rachel Brosnahan, Tommy Dunn, and Kat Graham cheered to the holiday season ahead with the romantic and lustrous Swarovski tableware range, created in collaboration Rosenthal.
Photo by RichGodd, courtesy of Hennessy.
On Tuesday night in Manhattan, an intimate dinner at Tao Downtown was held in celebration of Ty Hunter’s book release. Through this title published by Chronicle Books—Makeover From Within, co-created with the journalist Eila Mell—Hunter takes readers on a journey through his personal life and professional career as a stylist with curated stories, never-before-seen images, and a dedicated foreword by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter—one of his closest companions and celebrity clients for 18 years. With ample support from Hennessy, signature cocktails—like The Stylist and Ty Hunter—were served to an intimate crowd, including The Blonds and Whitewall’s senior editor Eliza Jordan.
Photo by Sansho Scott/BFA.com, courtesy of Thierry Mugler and the Brooklyn Museum.
Also that night, The Brooklyn Museum rejoiced in the U.S.’s unveiling of “Thierry Mugler: Couturissime.” The global traveling retrospective showcases never-before-seen archives, films, photographs, stage costumes, and haute couture achievements of the late French designer, Thierry Mugler. With the support of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, curated by Thierry-Maxime Loriot and Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture at the Brooklyn Museum, the extraordinary exhibition spotlights nearly 130 outfits, accessories, sketches, and includes a wondrous fragrance gallery. The special evening whisked guests away with beats by underground icon Susanne Bartsch and paid homage to the Mugler runway of the 90s with a club-inspired space of vogueing models, cutting-edge performances by Joey Arias, and cabaret moves by Amanda Lepore. A true melding of creative industries found Creative Director Casey Cadwallader and Global President of Mugler Fashion and Fragrances Danièle Lahana-Aidenbaum enjoying the night alongside Kylie Jenner, Lourdes Leon, Laverne Cox, Rowan Blanchard, Julia Fox, Tinashe, Richie Shazam, and Aaron Rose Phillip.
Courtesy of LOEWE.
On Wednesday night in Los Angeles, LOEWE celebrated the opening of its Rodeo Drive boutique opening with a seated dinner at the Chateau Marmont and an afterparty at Whisky a Go Go. For the night, the brand’s creative director Jonathan Anderson greeted guests—like Cindy Crawford, Tracee Ellis Ross, Doja Cat, and Emma Chamberlain—before the VIPs were treated to a performance by the Grammy-nominated singer Omar Apollo.
Laura Brownand Samira Nasr, photo by Madison Voelkel for BFA, courtesy of Fashion Trust US.
And last night at The Times Square EDITION, the launch of Fashion Trust U.S. was celebrated by industry friends and patrons alike. There to welcome guests to whisky cocktails and champagne were editors and fashion media gurus Laura Brown and Samira Nasr, as well as the program’s director, Shay Gipson, who also shared with attendees information on the non-profit’s mission. Sponsored by Google, the organization currently has applications open to emerging fashion and accessories designers who aim to gain funding.
