(NEW YORK) A slice of Alabama landed on lower Fifth Aveunue last evening, in honor of the 2010 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Award winner Billy Reid, at a fête thrown by J.Crew, Vogue and the CFDA. On the third floor Mens Shop at J.Crew’s Flatiron store, a top-notch coterie of chic mingled, including Anna Wintour, Kate Lanphear, Lynn Yaeger, co-host Steven Kolb and a bounty of beauties like Coco Rocha, Joan Smalls and Elettra Weidemann. As plentiful spiked iced tea in Mason jars for the party people and a virgin basil lemonade made the rounds, a dizzying array of designers chattered away in every nook of the menswear-filled space, including Patrik Ervell, Christian Cota, Lisa Salzer, Maria Consejo, Monique Pean, Jeffery Costello avec Robert Tagliapietra and the Proenza pair of Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez.
After J.Crew’s collab with Reid on a menswear capsule collection, the next meeting of the minds with the affable Southern designer might be… musical? “Maybe I could take guitar lessons from him—that would be interesting!” said J.Crew menswear designer Frank Muytjens, who slipped on a pair of pristine white lace-ups as a nod to Reid. His chic counterpart for the brand’s womenswear design, Marissa Webb, and J.Crew head honcho Mickey Drexler were also on hand to toast the latest crop of designers.
“I’m doing resort for the first time and I’m loving it. The collection is really fleshed-out and tightly edited,” said Prabal Gurung. As for a muse for his debut foray into menswear, Gurung kept mum. “When it’s revealed to the world, you’ll know. That’s all I can say!” Also staying mysterious about his future designs was fellow CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund runner-up Eddie Borgo. “Objects that symbolize subculture will definitely keep popping up in my work,” explained Borgo, donning his signature chapeau. “I think a combination of subcultures is really what makes a city beat.”
Musings on style in the urban jungle of Gotham abounded, though the rich nibbles of pecan pie and bacon-topped maple cakes lent a decidedly southern spirit to the mix. “The wonderful thing about New York fashion right now is that you don’t actually know who’s going to come through and be the next big talent,” remarked Mark Holgate, Vogue‘s fashion news director and one of the event’s co-hosts. “Ten years ago, you might have felt that way about London.” As Holgate lauded the accomplished posse of CFDA winners on the premises, he pondered what he would whip up if he were among the CFDA design flock. “I haven’t been quite able to get used to the ferocity of the New York rain, even as a Brit,” said Holgate. “So I’d be designing really good raincoats.”
ALEXANDRA ILYASHOV
Fashion Zing 