Daily Front Row

2010 March 16

FIT for a Macy's King

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Dr. Joyce F. Brown, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, Terry and Tina Lundgren
Cutty McGill View Gallery

(NEW YORK) Forming a parade of suits and gowns, guests including Mayor Bloomberg, Martha Stewart and Vera Wang, filed in the Hilton New York last night, toasting chairman, president and CEO of Macy’s Inc., Terry J. Lundgren, and his efforts to raise funds for FIT and the University of Arizona’s retailing program. “Tonight is all about the students," said Lundgren. "I feel terrific because we are going to add a major inflow of cash into these fashion programs. I’m just a vehicle, if you will, that helps raise money and awareness for these talented, young people.”

Wang divulged her webbed connection to the evening. “Terry has been my good friend for many years, back when I first started designing and he was chairman of Neiman’s. And also his wife is an Olympic figure skating judge, so Tina and I are friends, too, and that’s got nothing to do with the men!” The designer smiled and added, “We both have the Olympic connection. Kind of ironic, isn’t it?" Guests shuffled into the ballroom for a meal of filet mignon, as CBS’s Dave Price played emcee and jazz trumpeter Chris Botti performed. Dr. Joyce F. Brown, the president of FIT, took to the podium, and later, chocolate cubes with a crème brulee filler were the perfect cherry on top to the evening.

Talk quickly turned to everyone’s recent Macy’s purchase. “It had to be something DKNY,” Vera noted and Lundgren himself revealed that he just bought a Donald Trump dress shirt. “I buy about one new thing a week from Macy’s,” said the CEO. “I buy all my kitchen tools at Macy’s," said Stewart. "From the Martha Stewart collection. We’re part of the family here, after all!” The master homemaker celebrated the evening but also spring’s arrival. “I feel terrific because my Snowdrops are up in the garden, and it’s finally starting to look like springtime back at my farm.”
EMILY POPP