Daily Front Row

2012 August 1

Waris Forever(mark)

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Waris Ahluwalia
Billy Farrell Agency View Gallery

(NEW YORK) It’s not every day that you get hypnotized by a 14.58 karat diamond. Last night, Forevermark and House of Waris threw a downtown bash to fete the sparkling "Center of My Universe" necklace which Waris Ahluwalia created for the De Beers Companies-owned jewelry company. The cocktail party was held at the National Arts Club in a Belle Époque style salon (think heavy wooden paneling, rich carpets, fireplaces, and stained glass) on Gramercy Park, the sort of luxuriously understated venue you'd expect from an event dripping in diamonds. Ahluwalia greeted guests at the front door, air kissing Vogue-tte Meredith Melling Burke as she arrived. Nearby, Bibhu Mohapatra and Mickey Boardman chatted it up until a plate of truffle cheese bites floated by, catching Boardman's attention and prompting an order of utmost seriousness: “Keep the puffy cheesy goodness away!”

Other chicsters making the rounds and eyeing Forevermark collections to come? Michael Avedon, Yigal Azrouel, Eric Daman, Annabel Tollman, Cynthia Rowley and Bill Powers, Sophie Theallet, and Mary Alice Stephenson along with a troupe of security suits lingering in every corner to guard valuables. The baubles ranging from Neiman Marcus’ fringed Art Deco earrings to Jade Trau’s super thin cuffs with diamond finishes. Close by, an entire room was dedicated toward Forevermark's sustainable mining process avec posters, running videos, and a display of—yep—more diamonds! “It’s so simple. It’s about a chain of custody and knowing where they come from. Every stone is numbered and marked so you know what you’re getting. Everyone should want that and demand that,” said Ahluwalia. "I don’t believe in not dressing nice or not spending money—just get better at the ethics of it!” 
ELIZABETH LANDERS