Bulgari went for a white-hot look for the launch of its white gold and diamond Astrale jewelry collection at Gotham Hall. Hosted with New Yorkers for Children, the event's "White Nights" theme brought out guests in their most pristine and sparkling white summer attire. Bulgari event producer Selmin Arat and production company J. Ben Bourgeois Productions looked to the grandiose city of the collection's earlier international launch in St. Petersburg for inspiration when furnishing the converted former bank.
The hall's round shape reflected the jewelry collection, which Arat described as contemporary but classic, clean and modern with many concentric circles. A round screen hung overhead from oval-shaped rigging, and Bentley Meeker projected dazzling images of the Astrale diamonds onto the screen from all angles. Large arrangements of white roses, peonies and hydrangeas, designed by Chestnuts in the Tuileries, decorated the bars. Scattered across the main floor, custom-made circular seats and white Lucite cubes, both designed by J. Ben Bourgeois, provided places where attendees could lounge and rest their cocktail glasses. Olivier Cheng Catering and Events served decadent treats such as foie gras pistachio truffles, blini with American sturgeon caviar and truffled grilled cheese sandwiches.
A white runway stretched through the room from the hall's entrance to an open white box. Bentley Meeker projected images of the jewelry onto the outer sides of the box, which served as the entryway for models who wore Astrale pieces during the evening's 9 PM highlight, a fashion show styled by L'wren Scott. Fanning themselves with their programs, guests lined the runway to watch models stroll by to the music of DJ Max Chipchase in couture suits and dresses—all black, to offset the brilliant (or princess, or emerald-cut) diamonds adorning models' ears, wrists, fingers, and necks. A model, naked from the waist-up except for a 128.56 carat white gold and pavé diamond halter, elicited the most applause at the conclusion of the show. For a dramatic finale, the entire room went dark, and then brightened to spotlight the models lined up on a balcony above the crowd.
—Carly Kiel
Read our coverage of last year's Allegra jewelry launch...
The hall's round shape reflected the jewelry collection, which Arat described as contemporary but classic, clean and modern with many concentric circles. A round screen hung overhead from oval-shaped rigging, and Bentley Meeker projected dazzling images of the Astrale diamonds onto the screen from all angles. Large arrangements of white roses, peonies and hydrangeas, designed by Chestnuts in the Tuileries, decorated the bars. Scattered across the main floor, custom-made circular seats and white Lucite cubes, both designed by J. Ben Bourgeois, provided places where attendees could lounge and rest their cocktail glasses. Olivier Cheng Catering and Events served decadent treats such as foie gras pistachio truffles, blini with American sturgeon caviar and truffled grilled cheese sandwiches.
A white runway stretched through the room from the hall's entrance to an open white box. Bentley Meeker projected images of the jewelry onto the outer sides of the box, which served as the entryway for models who wore Astrale pieces during the evening's 9 PM highlight, a fashion show styled by L'wren Scott. Fanning themselves with their programs, guests lined the runway to watch models stroll by to the music of DJ Max Chipchase in couture suits and dresses—all black, to offset the brilliant (or princess, or emerald-cut) diamonds adorning models' ears, wrists, fingers, and necks. A model, naked from the waist-up except for a 128.56 carat white gold and pavé diamond halter, elicited the most applause at the conclusion of the show. For a dramatic finale, the entire room went dark, and then brightened to spotlight the models lined up on a balcony above the crowd.
—Carly Kiel
Read our coverage of last year's Allegra jewelry launch...
Projections of Bulgari's new Astrale diamonds hung above guests at the launch of the collection at Gotham Hall.
Waiters in white from Olivier Cheng Catering and Events served White Russian cocktails on trays made of ice.
Chestnuts in the Tuileries' large arrangements of white roses, peonies, and hydrangeas decorated the bars while smaller bouquets sat on Lucite cubes.
Models wore various Astrale pieces during a runway fashion show.
