Once
again, FIT's glamorous annual gala luncheon, hosted by its
founding Couture Council chairs Liz Peek, Yaz Hernandez,
and Sarah Wolfe, kicked off fashion week in New
York City by celebrating the artistic achievement of fashion designer Isabel
Toledo.
André Leon Tally, American editor-at-large
for Vogue, presented Isabel Toledo with The Couture Council
of The Museum at FIT's third annual Artistry of Fashion
Award at a benefit luncheon at New York City's Rainbow Room
on Wednesday, September 3, 2008. Simon Doonan,
creative director for Barneys New York, emceed the event with humor
and elegance.
Attending the award luncheon were members of the artistic committee,
including Narciso Rodriguez, James de Givenchy, Cathy Hardwick,
Kim Hastreiter, Pat Kerr, Charles Kleibacker, and Glenda
Bailey, editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar. The
Junior Chairmen of the gala were Fabiola Beracasa, Tennessee Hamilton,
Alexis Tobin, and Whitney Wolfe. CIT and
L'Oreal generously underwrote the luncheon which, for the third
consecutive year, is the first event of Fashion Week. The Gala, which
was sold out, raised $400,000 for the Museum at FIT.
To honor Ms. Toledo, the Rainbow Room decorated the tables with
sunflowers – her favorite flower – and served Cuban-inspired
cuisine. The menu began with a yellow gazpacho followed by Cuban
style sea bass with warm mango sauce, coconut rice, and black beans.
Isabel's husband illustrator Ruben Toledo hand
designed over 400 different placemats with illustrations of Isabel
as gifts for each guest.
Joey Arias opened the luncheon with his rendition
of the Billie Holiday song, “You've Changed,” dedicated
to Isabel. He was backed by Basil Twist's marionette chorus
line, a part of their current show, “Arias with a Twist,” running
at Here Arts Center through January. Guests will receive a cameo
necklace designed by Ruben Toledo with his wife's silhouette and
signature etched onto an oval Swarovski crystal. These have been
specially created by Swarovski for the Couture Council and will be
mailed to guests after the event with a note from Nadja Swarovski.
FIT president Dr. Joyce Brown and FIT Museum director Valerie
Steele greeted guests as they arrived at the event. In
addition to the artistic committee, fashion mavens in attendance
included Kelly Bensimon, Hamish Bowles, Edmundo Castillo,
Cecilia Dean, Stephen Gan, Julie Gilhart, Linda Fargo, Joan Helpern,
Cathy Horyn, Jeffrey Kalinsky, , Helmut Lang, Boaz Mazor, Dawn
Mellow, Paul Cavaco, Josie Natori, Candy Pratts Price, Peter Som,
Howard Socol, Stephano Tonchi, Max Vadukul, Michael Vollbrecht and Eleanor
Ylvisaker.
Other guests included Iris Apfel, Joey Arias, Serena Boardman,
Sandy Brant, Dawn Brown, Fabiola Beracasa, Lisa Cashin, Paul Cavaco,
Beth Rudin Dewoody, John Demsey , Sandy Golinkin,
Audrey Gruss, Agnes Gund, Gene Krell, Alexandra Lebenthal, Susan
Lyne, Matthew and Carrie Modine, Charlotte Moss,
Jonathan and Ronnie Newhouse, Elyse Newhouse, John and Laura
Pomerantz, Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, Ingrid Sischy,
Elizabeth Stribling, Marcy Syms, Diana Taylor, Judith Thurman,
Alice Tisch, Lizzie Tisch, Becca Carson Thrash, Barbara Tober,
Carmen Unanue, Lauren Veronis, Dr. Patricia Wexler, and Sarah
Wynter among others.
The Artistry of Fashion Award will precede a major retrospective
of Ms. Toledo's work at The Museum at FIT, entitled Holy Toledo!
Isabel Toledo and the Art of Fashion, opening June 19, 2009
through September 26, 2009. This exhibition will feature more
than 75 looks dating from 1985 to the present, including fluid jersey
dresses, seductive lace, and architectural denim. Illustrations by
her husband, artist Ruben Toledo, will also be featured, as will
films of Ms. Toledo's fashion shows and other visuals that
explore her creative process. A lavishly illustrated catalogue, written
by co-curators Dr. Valerie Steele and Patricia Mears and published
by Yale University Press, will accompany the exhibition.
Simon Doonan, FIT president Dr. Joyce Brown, and honoree Isabel Toledo..
Isabel Toledo, André Leon Tally.
Narciso Rodriguez, Ruben Toledo.
Susan Magrino, Jeff Peek, Sarah Wolfe.
Candy Pratts Price, Yaz Hernandez.
Glenda Bailey, Becca Carson Thrash.
Matthew Modine, Cari Modine, Isabel Toledo, Ruben Toledo.
