On the Upper East Side on Wednesday evening, it was a case of honoring haute heritage and history while toasting to the new.
Gherardo Felloni, the creative director ofRoger Vivier,was in town, prompting the pink carpet to be rolled out as the Parisian house unveiled its Madison Avenue flagship.
After that, it was over to Le Veau dOr for dinnermarking the first time that New Yorks oldest French bistro had the chance to show off its new guise for a fashion brand takeover.
Sarah Paulson, Gherardo Felloni
Now sitting pretty at 650 Madison Avenue, the store is intended to mimic the feel of theRue du Faubourg Saint-Honorelocation, with square-tiled mirrors peppered with gold-leaf, French molding, and Versailles-inspired parquet floors.
Inside, devout fans, VIP clients, and tastemakers gathered in their polished and poised I Love Vivier pumps, patent leather Trompettes, crystal buckle biker booties, and suede Viv' Choc bags, enjoying Ruinart champagne and passed canapes.
A mannequin in the boutique window debuted a take on a Western-style studded and fringe black gilet vest, reminding passersby that theres lots more to explore inside than the famed footwear.
The eye-catching piece was also modeled IRL by fresh-faced young actress Jaya Harper, whose mom, Laura Dern, recently fronted a whimsical video campaign for the luxury label.
Another familiar name, Pat Cleveland, whos currently gracing the Fall ads, could be spotted in the crowd too.
Rising star Ella Hunt, who plays originalSNLcomedienne Gilda Radner inSaturday Night,which hits movie theaters today, stopped by after a hectic day of press promotion around the city, looking every bit the English rose in a blush-hued outfit.
After touring the store, guests including Ines De La Fressange and her daughter Violette D’urso, Ivy Getty, Sabine Getty, Meena Harris, and the evenings co-host Laura Brown hopped into waiting SUVs to spin over to Le Veau dOr on East 60th Street.
The famed French eatery, a one-time haunt of everyone from Grace Kelly and Jackie O to Truman Capote and Orson Welles, has now changed hands and reintroduced itself this summer under proprietors and Chefs Riad Nasr and Lee Hanson of Frenchette and Le Rock.
Entering through a cutaway Eighties-esque speckled pink doorway that bears the restaurants signature golden calf on a plaque and making their way up the wood-paneled staircase, attendees got a glimpse of the bistros chic private room over a cocktail.
By the time 8.15 p.m. rolled around, all anyone could think of was theFilet de Boeuf au Poivrethat was rumored to await.
Kicking back into the comfort of the bisous-red leather banquettes with glasses of natural wine, guests, including AnnaSophia Robb, Danai Gurira, and Padma Lakshmi, tucked into bread with salted butter, salade de legumes, poached halibut, steak, rice pilaf, and,mais oui,heaving plates of crispy Frites.
While its surely a special treat to immerse yourself in the surroundings of the intimate dining room at the best of times, the fact that it made for a perfectly cinematic backdrop for the vivid world of Vivier made it seem even more delicious.
Seeing as its the spookiest month of the calendar, dinner table chatter kept returning to whether or not the room may be haunted by fabulous ghosts of the past.
Given that original Vivier muse Marlene Dietrich was one notable regular way back whenno doubt shed have approved of the scene.
Arianna Huffington, Gherardo Felloni
Sabine Getty
Ines de La Fressange, Violette Marie d’Urso
Ella Hunt
Alessia Fendi, PJ Pascual, Sarah Hoover
