Louis Vuitton, the brand synonymous with luxury and no-expense-spared events, sponsored the second annual benefit for the United Cancer Front (UCF) at Universal Studios in Los Angeles. The fashion house fete attracted Hollywood A-listers and entertainment V.I.P.s, and raised more than $1.5 million for Lilly Tartikoff’s UCF, a cause she pioneered after her television executive husband, Brandon Tartikoff, died of Hodgkin’s disease in 1997.
Louis Vuitton director of special events Sandra Mariniello put together the spectacular event, produced by J. Ben Bourgeois Productions, and hosted by Jamie Foxx, Dustin Hoffman, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who arrived on a brown carpet that matched an LV-branded canvas backdrop. The LV logo was, as always, omnipresent, starting with the giant initials in red lights strung high above the ground, in front of which stilt walkers performed. Indeed, all the decor hinted at Louis Vuitton’s signature patterns, from the print on the illuminated floor in the reception room to the wall projections above the entrance.
The cocktail hour was held in a red-hued room with a long, gauzy red curtain on one side. Leaning against the red walls were six floor-to-ceiling framed mirrors, with the Vuitton crest imprinted in the center. White leather ottomans sat along the walls, and a long white-lit Lucite bar ran down the center of the room with white backless bar stools. Glass vases filled with red dahlias and white candles hung from the ceiling above the tables. Guests sipped Dom Perignon rose champagne and nibbled on hors d’oeuvres like smoked salmon on potato cake with crème fraiche and vegetarian Vietnamese spring rolls from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. The cocktail reception ended with the opening of the red curtains to reveal the grand salon, imbued with deep hues of red and aubergine. The look was rich, elegant, and stylishly sophisticated.
Guests immediately turned their attention to the four aerial performers hanging on long white silk sashes high above the star-studded crowd. The performers were masked behind giant square cloth chandeliers: Seven 20-foot squares illuminated by a spotlight hung from the ceiling, with a 16-foot square inside each that was mechanically raised and lowered to unveil the performer. The acrobats, from New York-based aerial performance company AntiGravity, completed a sleek, synchronized routine, at one point lowering themselves all the way to the ground.
Next, guests made their way to their seats in a dining room carpeted in a deep purple and neatly lined with more than 60 red and aubergine fabric-cloaked rectangular tables set for a three-course feast. Table centerpieces were tranquil Zen ponds made up of long rectangular acrylic boxes with three smaller squares inside—two held flowers and one was a light box. The rich red walls were the backdrop for floor-to-ceiling purple panels lining the room. Vintage LV trunk suitcases were suspended on clear swings and sat on beds of white flowers with vines climbing the ropes.
Entertainment highlights included an impromptu riff from host Foxx, who channeled his alter ego Ray Charles for a rendition of “Georgia on My Mind.” There was also a performance from Ashanti and a silent auction, where a one-of-a-kind 189-carat pink kunzite Louis Vuitton ring was auctioned.
—Raegan Gall
Photos: Nadine Froger Photography (interior)
Louis Vuitton director of special events Sandra Mariniello put together the spectacular event, produced by J. Ben Bourgeois Productions, and hosted by Jamie Foxx, Dustin Hoffman, and Sarah Jessica Parker, who arrived on a brown carpet that matched an LV-branded canvas backdrop. The LV logo was, as always, omnipresent, starting with the giant initials in red lights strung high above the ground, in front of which stilt walkers performed. Indeed, all the decor hinted at Louis Vuitton’s signature patterns, from the print on the illuminated floor in the reception room to the wall projections above the entrance.
The cocktail hour was held in a red-hued room with a long, gauzy red curtain on one side. Leaning against the red walls were six floor-to-ceiling framed mirrors, with the Vuitton crest imprinted in the center. White leather ottomans sat along the walls, and a long white-lit Lucite bar ran down the center of the room with white backless bar stools. Glass vases filled with red dahlias and white candles hung from the ceiling above the tables. Guests sipped Dom Perignon rose champagne and nibbled on hors d’oeuvres like smoked salmon on potato cake with crème fraiche and vegetarian Vietnamese spring rolls from celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. The cocktail reception ended with the opening of the red curtains to reveal the grand salon, imbued with deep hues of red and aubergine. The look was rich, elegant, and stylishly sophisticated.
Guests immediately turned their attention to the four aerial performers hanging on long white silk sashes high above the star-studded crowd. The performers were masked behind giant square cloth chandeliers: Seven 20-foot squares illuminated by a spotlight hung from the ceiling, with a 16-foot square inside each that was mechanically raised and lowered to unveil the performer. The acrobats, from New York-based aerial performance company AntiGravity, completed a sleek, synchronized routine, at one point lowering themselves all the way to the ground.
Next, guests made their way to their seats in a dining room carpeted in a deep purple and neatly lined with more than 60 red and aubergine fabric-cloaked rectangular tables set for a three-course feast. Table centerpieces were tranquil Zen ponds made up of long rectangular acrylic boxes with three smaller squares inside—two held flowers and one was a light box. The rich red walls were the backdrop for floor-to-ceiling purple panels lining the room. Vintage LV trunk suitcases were suspended on clear swings and sat on beds of white flowers with vines climbing the ropes.
Entertainment highlights included an impromptu riff from host Foxx, who channeled his alter ego Ray Charles for a rendition of “Georgia on My Mind.” There was also a performance from Ashanti and a silent auction, where a one-of-a-kind 189-carat pink kunzite Louis Vuitton ring was auctioned.
—Raegan Gall
Photos: Nadine Froger Photography (interior)