Daily Front Row

2009 April 16

Fooling Around

Comments | | Print

Fooling Around
View Gallery

(NEW YORK) "Does this look backwards?" asked Poppy Delevigne at last night's Fools Fête, the annual young-folks gala benefitting New Yorkers for Children. The model was referencing her fringed Ferretti frock, but there was something a bit nostalgic about this gala at the Mandarin Oriental, where each and every social, publicist, and general lover of good times ascended to raise money (while dining and dishing with abandon). It's like an exceptionally well-dressed prom, but with loads of ladies and very few legitimate dates. "Well, it looks like this elevator is full," noted Peter Davis, waiting in the lobby to be whisked upstairs. "But if you really want to ride up 50 stories next to Josh Hartnett, we can make it happen."

Sure enough, Hartnett wandered around the cocktail hour a bit mystified as three PMc photographers (Billy! Joe! Even Patrick!) scrambled to secure evidence of all the frippery. "Who are you wearing?" was asked easily and often. "I customized!" said Zani Gugelmann of her Pink Tartan frock, which was dolled up with a mensweary blazer and stacks of bangles. Diane Kruger's breathtaking ruffled lavender dress took the evening's top honors, while Coco Rocha's black-and-white polka dot Zac Posen number complemented the designer's own overcoat. "The dress is vintage, but I made the headpiece myself," said Fabiola Beracasa of her jeweled crown. There were nearly as many photo ops as airkisses.

The Mandarin Oriental's ballroom was dominated by long tables covered in cerulean clotch and studded with humble bouquets of yellow daffodils, a motif that echoed the twinkling lights in Columbus Circle and beyond spotted through the glass wall. "Dayssi [Olarte de Kanavos] started this thing eight years ago in her apartment," marvelled Lydia Fenet, one of the evening's co-chairs. "And now everyone from Serena Williams to Steven Schwartzman shows up." Indeed, Williams was squired by boyfriend Common, who came over to greet Italo Zucchelli. "I love your stuff," he told the designer, gesturing to his Calvin Klein Collection suit. Unfortunately, it was simply black, unlike the raucous neon ones that Zucchelli sent down the runway. "If you want one, get it soon," he warned. "They've already sold out once!"

Brian Reyes, seated across the table, discussed his recent travels as well as upcoming plans. "I just got back from Easter weekend in D.C., and now I'm going to New Orleans for the first time," he revealed. "And then a trip to Montana." Will he rent in the Hamptons this summer? "Nope," he said. "We started a small business!"

Eventually, guests such as Rachel Roy, Bettina Zilkha, David Patrick Columbia, Kate Lanphear, Lauren Santo Domingo, Hana Soukupova, and Tara Subkoff settled in to a meal of filet mignon and heriloom tomato salad. The arrivals, meanwhile, kept coming; Andre Balazs, Emmy Rossum, and Rachel Zoe made it in time for the short speeches and pleas to check out the silent auction. As the DJ spun a few dance numbers--which lured Topper and Tinsley Mortimer into a trance-like twirl around the floor--others planned nightcaps at Sant Ambroeus (Gillian and Sylvester Miniter) and Rose Bar and Bungalow 8 (Andrew Saffir and Daniel Benedict), others were ready to call it a night. "It's been fun," said Fenet, "But now I'm going home and eating a gallon of peanut butter."
ASHLEY BAKER