Saks and the City

(NEW YORK) "He's a great executive, he's a phenomenal New Yorker...he's a so-so golfer, but that's a story for another time," joked Mayor Michael Bloomberg as he honored Saks CEO Steve Sadove last night at the Fashion Institue of Technology's benefit gala at Cipriani. Top execs from Saks Fifth Avenue and FIT came out in their chicest to the dinner, along with fashion flock regulars like Jason Wu, Peter Som, Joe Zee and Robbie Myers, Amy Astley, Steven Kolb, and Carolina Herrera.

Pre-dinner, guests sipped cocktails and snacked on canapés while browsing an impressive exhibit of shoes, re-imagined by FIT students as famous New York landmarks like the Brooklyn Bridge and the Chrysler Building. "Thanks to Steve Sadove, Saks donated more than 20 pairs of sleek black Jimmy Choos," said FIT president Dr. Joyce Brown. "And no, I didn't get even one!" No matter--there was no absence of glam at the event, as evidenced by a snap-happy Bill Cunningham.

"This is an evening I like to call Saks and the city," said Bloomberg, before quickly admitting, "I had to work at that!" The Mayor turned serious, though, when he spoke of the fashion industry's influence on New York. "This is the fashion capital of the world, one that will be accented even more by next year's Fashion Week in Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center," he said, before turning back to the task at hand. "Steve, do you want to come up here? I'm going to give you an award!"
EMILY GYBEN