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| Hailing a taxi on West End Avenue. 5:00 PM. Photo: Jeffrey Hirsch. |
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| Wednesday, June 12, 2013. Warm, sunny day, yesterday in New York, with the dark clouds rolling in in late afternoon/early evening, threatening storms but leaving only a few raindrops. Temperatures in the low 70s. |
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| Catching up. Monday night, the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and the FIT Foundation hosted their annual gala at Cipriani 42nd Street. They honored longtime supporter George Kaufman (chairman, Kaufman Organization), Kay Krill (president and chief executive officer, ANN INC.), and Stefano Tonchi (editor-in-chief, W magazine). This was a fashion affair – obviously – and the women dressed for the occasion. The annual gala benefits the FIT Educational Development Fund, which provides scholarship, technology, and student services support, among other priorities. This evening raised $1.2 million. “FIT is extremely fortunate to have three outstanding honorees this year,” Dr. Joyce F. Brown, president of FIT told the guests in her welcoming remarks. “Each brings a wealth of experience, expertise, and creativity to their respective fields. George Kaufman is not only a visionary in real estate and the film industry, but a longtime and very dear friend of the college. Kay Krill is a successful business leader who has imbued ANN INC., the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, with both a sense of style and purpose, and Stefano Tonchi transforms every publication he edits with his bold, imaginative point of view.” |
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| Tony Bennett, a longtime family friend,presented George Kaufman with his award. Supermodel Karolina Kurkova presented Ms. Krill with her award. In her acceptance she announced that ANN INC. has committed to endow a full year scholarship that will be awarded annually to a student with a passion for designing fashion for women.” Actress Jessica Chastain presented to Stefano Tonchi his award. The gala also showcased a video installation titled Orbit Art Work by Jennifer Steinkamp. The evening’s chairs were Pamela Baxter, president and CEO, LVMH Perfumes and Cosmetics; Joy Herfel Cronin, group president, menswear and children’s wear, Ralph Lauren; Julie Greiner, chief merchandise planning officer, Macy’s, Inc.; Yaz Hernandez, trustee, FIT Board of Trustees; Jane Hertzmark Hudis, global brand president, Estée Lauder; and Liz Peek, chair, FIT Board of Trustees. |
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| The Mesdames Hernandez and Peek have worked hard to develop FIT’s Couture Council which has not only raised a great deal of funds for the FIT Museum but also raised the profile of FIT substantially in the world of charity galas. Their annual autumn Luncheon is now the kick-off for Fashion Week in the Lincoln Center tents and the opening of the autumn social season in New York. It is hugely successful, drawing hundreds of guests. This year’s gala luncheon will be honoring Michael Kors. This past Monday gala’s honorary committee included Reem Acra, Giorgio Armani, Dennis Basso, Edmundo Castillo, Maria Cornejo, Francisco Costa, Peter Dundas, Tom Ford, Monique Lhillier, Gilles Mendel, Narciso Rodriguez, Ralph Rucci, Angel Sanchez, Jill Stuart, Isabel and Ruben Toledo, and Vera Wang. |
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| The guest list, with more than 500 attending, included: Reem Acra, Dennis Basso, Dr. and Mrs. Jay Baker, Jeffrey Banks, Cathie Black, Tony Bennett, Hamish Bowles, Dr. Joyce Brown, Noreen Buckfire, Henry Buhl, Catherine Cahill and Bill Bernhard, Jessica Chastain, Francisco Costa, Joy Herfel Cronin, Christina Davis, Anh Duong, Alber Elbaz, Tom Florio, Jamee and Peter Gregory,Miss America 2013 and FIT student Mallory Hytes Hagan, Stan Herman, Jane Hertzmark Hudis, Chui-Ti Jansen, Mariana and George Kaufman, Michael Kaufman, Steven Kolb, Coco and Arie Kopelman, Karolina Kurkova,Kay Krill, Dalia and Larry Leeds, Karen and Richard LeFrak, Jacqui Lividini, Nanette Lepore, Terry Lundgren, Carol Mack, Julie Macklowe, Fern Mallis, Carl McCall, Greace and Chris Meigher III, Giles Mendel, Liz and Jeff Peek, Lisa Perry, Marisa Pucci, Hilary and Wilbur Ross, Jack and Susan Rudin, Ralph Rucci, Lauren Santo Domingo, Jean Shafiroff, Joan Smalls, Dr. Valerie Steele, Topsy Taylor, Isabeland Ruben Toledo, and Lauren and John John Veronis. Also in attendance were some of FIT’s top Fashion Design, Class of 2013 graduates. All were award winners. Thaiana Cruz (children’s wear), Sijeo Kim (knitwear), Jae Lee (sportswear), Carly Rosenbrook (sportswear), and Trung Vu (special occasion) received Critics Awards. Emily Levine won a Best Use of Cotton Award from Cotton, Inc. |
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| And while all that gala was bursting at Cipriani, just five blocks to the west on 42nd Street at Espace, the Broadway babies of now and forever were congregating at the Stella Adler Studio of Acting’s 9th annual Stella By Starlight gala benefit, hosted by Studio alums Jane Levy and Keith Powell. For lovers of the theater there were members of Broadway’s pantheon of greats actually present – such as Hal Prince, Stephen Sondheim, Edward Albee, Bernadette Peters, Elaine Stritch, James Gandofini, Alec Baldwin and Liza Minnelli. Mr. Sondheim was honored with the Marlon Brando Award. Charles Cohen, the New York real estate developer was honored with the Stella Adler Corporate Award“for outstanding commitment and contributions to the betterment of the community. George Takel was awardedthe Harold Clurman Spirit Award for “courageous contribution to the culture of the city of New York and beyond.” And there was a Special Presentation to Elaine Stritch.
The young Marlon Brando was an early student of Stella’s and appeared in “A Flag is Born” directed by Luther Adler on Broadway. The Adler siblings (including Jay Adler) came to prominence in what might be considered the Golden Age of the American Theatre. Stella Adler, who was also a beauty, was married three times, including critic and playwright Harold Clurman who founded the Group Theatre with a number of writers, actors and directors including Elia Kazan, Clifford Odets, Sanford Meisner, Cheryl Crawford, Lee Strasberg. She made her (English language) Broadway debut in 1922 in “The World We Live In.” That same year the famous Russian actor/director Konstantin Stanislavski made his only US tour with his Moscow Art Theatre. Stanislavski’s influence had an enormous impact on the Adlers as well as American theatre in general, and subsequently on its acting teachers. In 1949, she founded her school in New York. Her alumni included Brando, Robert De Niro and Jenny Lumet, daughter of director Sidney Lumet and Gail Buckley (daughter of Lena Horne). Many well-known actors also studied with her including Stritch, Warren Beatty, Martin Sheen, Harvey Keitel, Melanie Griffith. She also taught at the New School, the Yale School of Drama, and NYU. Alumns of her school in Los Angeles (which she founded in 1985 with her protégé Joanne Linville) include Mark Ruffalo, Benicio Del Toro Brion James, Salma Hayek, Clifton Collins Jr. and Sean Astin. The School is now run by Stella Adler’s grandson Tom Oppenheim. This is New York. |
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Contact DPC here. |