Amazon Luxury Stores Heads Out East for Two VIP Dinners in the Hamptons

NEW YORK—Amazon carts got a lot more luxurious with the debut of Amazon Luxury Stores. The sought-after shopping destination launched in the United States in September 2020 in collaboration with Oscar de la Renta, and in the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, and Spain on June 8.

To celebrate the Luxury Stores’ addition of Brazilian designer Alexandre Birman and high-end skincare entrepreneur Tina Craig of U Beauty, full-service event production company BMF was tapped to pull off two VIP dinners. Both invite-only events welcomed 40 guests and took over the glamorous LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton, N.Y., for fashion-fronted parties on back-to-back weekends.BMF was tapped to execute the two dinner parties, which both took place at the LongHouse Reserve in East Hampton, N.Y. The venue boasts 61 acres of scenery and 60-plus fine art sculptures, including works by Yoko Ono, Willem de Kooning, and Daniel Arsham.Photo: Courtesy of BMFEach guest was welcomed to their seat with a favor courtesy of Birman.Photo: Courtesy of BMF

On July 9, Birman collaborated with Amazon’s head of fashion direction Sally Singer to co-host a soiree under the stars. Upon entering the venue, A-listers strolled past the venue’s collection of 60-plus sculptures (with works by Yoko Ono, Willem de Kooning, Daniel Arsham, and more) to a corner of the 16-acre property outfitted for an intimate dinner. A warm-wood table was complemented by seasonal linens and blooms, and surrounded by pedestals featuring Birman’s summer shoe collection.In attendance were supermodels Martha Hunt and Karen Elson. (Pictured L-R: Elson, Birman, Hunt)Photo: Courtesy of BMF

Brian Feit, a founding partner at BMF, told BizBash that “the tablescapes were, by far, the most standout decor elements,” adding that each table “complemented brand codes that individualized each dinner.” It “created fresh content capture opportunities, back to back, within the same location,” Feit explained.

Supermodels Martha Hunt, Karen Elson, and Richie Shazam were in attendance at Birman's event. Also present were global marketing executive Grag Calejo, Latin American Fashion Summit (LAFS) co-founder Samantha Tams, and Aaron Rose Philip, the first black, transgender, and physically disabled model to sign with a major modeling agency. (The trailblazer has since been featured in campaigns for Moschino and featured on the covers of V and Paper magazines.)The guest list boasted 40 A-listers, who gathered around a warm-wood table adorned with seasonal linens and blooms, and surrounded by pedestals featuring Birman’s summer shoe collection.Photo: Courtesy of BMFWesthampton-based Hampton Aristocrat handled F&B, which spanned from a cocktail hour featuring specialty mixed drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres to a seated meal.Photo: Courtesy of BMF

After Birman's dinner, fairy lights illuminated above the outdoor setup, and Elson took the stage for a live performance.Photo: Courtesy of BMFAnd on July 16, designer Rachel Zoe, Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach, supermodel Lily Aldridge, and TikTok sensation Wisdom Kaye turned up for a dinner hosted by Craig—also at LongHouse Reserve. The intimacy allowed for “good company and great wine and sharing conversations about your passions, which, for this group, was fashion,” Feit said, noting that BMF did not have to tap into over-the-top touchpoints or interactive demonstrations to keep guests Tina Craig (right) pictured with Nicky Hilton (left).Photo: Courtesy of BMFengaged.

“Sometimes the simplest things can feel immersive,” he said. “Luxury is representative of something that has longevity and consistency, and a classic dinner party in a gorgeous environment will always immerse you in the energy of tradition in luxury.”

Westhampton-based Hampton Aristocrat handled F&B, which spanned from a cocktail hour featuring specialty mixed drinks and passed hors d’oeuvres to a seated meal. Feit noted the caterer’s “extraordinary attention to detail in both the display and the taste.” Guests were served four courses, including a ricotta gnocchi with black truffle and mushroom paté, as well as a surf-and-turf plate featuring beef filet, lobster, and clams.

And as a post-meal aperitif, Elson took the stage to sing during Birman’s affair, and Moses Sumney wowed guests at Craig’s event.

Why two events, you ask? “Hosting multiple events allowed us to highlight different designers/brands,” Feit said, adding that it “helped to amplify their new relationship with Luxury Stores by Amazon, [while also driving] awareness of the brand availability through the Amazon platform.”

“The greatest success was measured by a quote from Alezandre Birman, who stated: ‘This was better than my dreams. This was important. This was special. This means everything. Thank you.’”The following weekend, on July 16, Tina Craig of U Beauty took over an indoor-outdoor corner of the venue for a similar dining affair.Photo: Courtesy of BMFIn a nod to U Beauty's debut on Amazon Luxury Stores, some products from the high-end brand were on display.Photo: Courtesy of BMFMoses Sumney wowed guests around the venue's outdoor pool at Craig’s event.Photo: Courtesy of BMF