Very Vera

(NEW YORK) Vera Wang's Soho outpost may have been in the works for years, but it was worth the wait. The gorgeous boutique was unveiled last night at the store's opening bash, and the open white space was packed with the designer's loyal followers, from editrixes Anna Wintour and Glenda Bailey to fellow designers Tory Burch and Patrick Robinson (toting un fils adorable) to retail royalty Linda Fargo and Robert Burke. Guests sipped lychee martinis while they browsed Wang's wears, including her eponymous line, her Lavender label, and her accessories, namely shoes and perfume.

Between happily greeting guests (she gave Wintour a full tour of the store), Wang dished on her new downtown spot. "I thought it was the perfect market for my kind of couture-meets-street," she said. "That's kind of my attitude-it's the way I shop and the way I dress myself. I've had this location for close to three years, so it's really perfect for me. It's how I kind of live." As for the boutique's décor, Wang credited her architect but admitted she had a lot of say. "The space lent itself to extreme proportions, but my architect, Michael Gabellini capitalized on it really well," she said. "It's really like classic meets hypermodern--me! Boy meets girl, couture meets street... it's how I dress, it's kind of my philosophy in life." The store opening may have been gift enough, but Wang still had time to dish on her tropical holiday plans: "I'm going to Sandy Lane to play golf," she said. "I'm a jock!"
EMILY GYBEN