Ties That Bind

As sponsor of the Whitney Museum of American Art's Art Party on Tuesday, designer Max Azria got plenty of publicity, with guests such as Tinsley Mortimer and Rachel Bilson photographed in his clothing. But the dresses weren't just on the girls. In imitation of Azria's subsidiary label Hervé Léger and its bandage dresses, the planning and production team covered the ceiling of Skylight with long fabric sashes. Working with Sarah Milestone, the museum's senior manager of special events, event design firm Van Wyck & Van Wyck also used projections from Bentley Meeker to tie into this idea.The venue was divided into three main sections—an area for the auction, a lounge, and a spot for dancing. The central lounge was the evening's design focal point, where a dropped ceiling featured long strips of purple silk, slotted together in a basket-weave pattern. The fabric ends, which were shredded and torn, hung down over the room's entryways, accented by partially gilded black glass chandeliers. Imitating this pattern, Bentley Meeker projected purple lights onto the ceiling of the venue's corridor.

In the auction area, where spotlights highlighted 70 works of art, including a piece inspired by the bandage dress, Van Wyck & Van Wyck placed a 24-foot-long cocktail table laden with candles and surrounded by tall stools. In contrast, the dance floor section was almost pitch black, save for lights reflecting off a large disco ball—four feet in diameter—and angled mirrors placed along the wall.

On the menu was a selection of passed hors d'oeuvres and sweets from Taste Caterers, including miniature Moroccan crab cakes with an orange, cucumber, and avocado salad and lemon brûlée tartlets. Attended by some 1,000 guests, the event went on to raise nearly $220,000 for the Whitney's independent study program.