Daily Front Row

2011 October 21

Family Style

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Bruce Pask, Christine Muhlke, Jason Rider
Billy Farrell Agency View Gallery

(NEW YORK) When Billy Reid throws a party, a few things are given. First and foremost, there will be barbecue. Something with a kick to wash it down. And conversation that manages to transcend the usual how-was-your-Europe fashion crowd nonsense. Last night's affair at Peels was hosted by Bon Appétit, which features Billy in all his saucy glory in the November issue. "When we were first having meetings about what the new Bon Appétit was going to be like, one of the first things we said was, we want to feature real people who know food," gesticulated BA EIC Adam Rapoport. "You know, people like Billy Reid."

After the requisite cocktailing, the crowd (Bruce Pask, Eddy Chai, Paul Birardi, Karine Vanasse) settled in for some slaws, fried chicken, the aforementioned BBQ, and Southern jams---Will Oldham, "a little Skynard"---courtesy of DJ Will Welch. (Any interested parties may email Rapoport for the five-hour playlist in its entirety.) There was just one celeb type in the bunch---mainly colleagues (present and former), friends, spouses, collaborators...event planners, take note.

In an attempt to extend the good times, a few Billy aficionados toted their gift bags across town to the Boom Boom Room (Joey, can we call it that?) to toast Gilles Mendel, who hours earlier, was anointed the recipient for the National Design Award. "It's totally crazy," said Mendel, temporarily deafened by remixes Rihanna while starry-eyed superfans, who appeared to be only minutes into their NYU years, took not-so-subtle smartphone pix. Quite the contrast from his lunch with Mrs. Obama earlier in the week. "What did we talk about!" he recalled. "Mostly food."
ASHLEY BAKER