Daily Front Row

2010 March 19

Meet the Tonchi Tribe!

Comments | | Print

Stefano Tonchi and Tom Ford
PATRICK MCMULLAN/PatrickMcMullan.com View Gallery

(NEW YORK) If the front row is akin to a game of Survivor, Stefano Tonchi is clearly the toughest competitor. And it’s not because he’s so intimidating---it’s because the alleged new editor of W is so gosh darn popular. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the popular Italian has allies on virtually every continent (and backstage at every show from A.F. Vandevorst to Zero + Maria Cornejo). Let’s review his friends...and best friends, shall we?
VALENTINE UHOVSKI

The Italians:  The Florence native is the most successful Italian editor working in America today, hands down. Thus the endless love from Miuccia, Donatella, Frida, the Missoni clan, Alberta, and of course, his close friend, Karlo Otto, who influences more ad dollars than we care to count. Carla Sozzani is another long-term bestie. And one of his favorite fellow Italians in New York is Italo Zucchelli, although the Brazilian Francisco Costa is one of Stefano’s favorites as well.

The French: Those who show in Paris clearly adore. Stefano’s big supporters over the years have included Karl Lagerfeld, Ann Demeulemeester, Alber Elbaz, Jean-Paul Gaultier, and his good buddy Carine Roitfeld. And let's not forget the Tonchi-lovin' Italians in Paris like Giambattista Valli and Stefano Pilati.

The Americans: Intimates include the aforementioned Calvin crew, Narciso Rodriguez, Tom Ford, Linda Fargo, and even Rachel Zoe. You know she’s been itching to finally style something at W! And Tonchi has been a steadfast supporter of Thom Browne.

Virtually everyone at Art Basel:  Front-row aside, Tonchi’s long-term partner is David Maupin---yes, of Lehmann-Maupin. Maupin occasionally travels with Tonchi to major events such as the Golden Globes and the European collections. But regardless, Tonchi never fails to make all the right appearances on the art scene, from the Venice Biennale to Basel to interminable dinners with art alphas like MoMA’s Klaus Biesenbach, Takashi Murakami, and Jeff Koons.

His colleagues: Those include his equally height-endowed partner in Europe, Anne Christensen, and frequent front row confidante Suzy Menkes.  But don’t forget his trusted Times colleagues such as Horacio Silva, Armand Limnander, Sandra Ballentine, Guy Trebay, and Lynn Hirschberg.

His peers:  Tonchi’s has developed bonds over the years with Cecilia Dean, Hamish Bowles, and Anne Slowey.  Will any of them take a meeting at 1166 Avenue of the Americas? Stay tuned!