The Art of Living Well

(NEW YORK) "Now is the time to be bold, which is why I am wearing a brace," said Justin Giunta quite matter-of-factly, gesturing to the ribbon-wrapped apparatus winding around his waist. The Subversive designer was at Bobo last night to celebrate Elise Øverland and threeASFOUR, beneficiaries of the Villency Emerging Fashion program. It was teetering towards 9:00 p.m., and Øverland and her art-world compatriots like Tom Sachs and Hope Atherton were still "in the taxi," one organizer claimed.

The candle-lit second floor of the West Village restaurant was, generally, a fire hazard. So many people! "I feel like I've been in hiding," confessed a wide-eyed Zani Gugelman. "I haven't seen anyone in so long, and now, everyone is back!" Glenn O'Brien eschewed the cocktail portion of the evening and plopped down at a banquette, awaiting the promised dinner. "Horacio [Silva] is sitting at my table, or else," said Lauren Goodman ominously, as Sabine Heller and Serena Merriman managed the incoming throng.  "How proud am I of Elise? I am very proud of Elise!" Sachs told a reporter as Øverland entered the room, only to be accosted by Ann Dexter-Jones. "I just came from work," the designer confessed, clad in her signature leather. "Am I late?"

In all seriousness--with the bottom lines and balance sheets preoccupying the fashion world during daylight, it was refreshing to celebrate unadulterated creativity. As wild children Adi, Ange and Gabi mugged for Pruting, establishment types like Richard Johnson, Andrew Saffir and Daniel Benedict and Eric Villency descended upon Bobo to support young talent when it is most needed. "Yes, it is a great program," confirmed Villency, who was squired by wife Kimberly. The troops settled into dinner before burning off the dessert with a sustained dance party, which kept the restaurant open and buzzing until 1:30 a.m.. "Hey," said one seasoned editor, "Who's the guy in the Jil Sander suit?" "Dunno," another responded, glancing at a young man bravely sporting the black-and-white watercolor print look from Fall/Winter 2008. "It's so not commercial--I never thought it would sell!"  Turns out, there's a market for everything--and judging from last night, the thrist for visionary designers is increasing by the second.
ASHLEY BAKER