Following the Belmont Stakes the previous weekend, the 21 Club--famous for the rows of jockey statues that adorn the exterior--hosted Literacy Partners' Dress the Jockeys auction to raise money for the adult reading nonprofit. Designers Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Kenneth Cole, Josie Natori, Salvatore Ferragamo and others dressed four-foot cast-aluminum statues in a variety of outfits, from a harlequin-dressed doll by LeRoy Neiman to a Marilyn Monroe look-alike by Harry Winston. (Some designers chose to ignore the jockeys' gender and clothed them in female attire.)
George McNeely of Christie's hosted a live auction of the attractively attired jockey statues, successfully coaxing higher bids out of some participants by repeating things like, "Come on! It's for charity!" Three of the club's second-floor rooms were filled with rows of chairs, and bouquets of flowers (by Jonathan Florist) set around the room gave the atmosphere the delicate scent of lilies. The most coveted jockey: The New York Yankees' jockey, which fetched $5,000 for the association.
--Suzanne Ito
George McNeely of Christie's hosted a live auction of the attractively attired jockey statues, successfully coaxing higher bids out of some participants by repeating things like, "Come on! It's for charity!" Three of the club's second-floor rooms were filled with rows of chairs, and bouquets of flowers (by Jonathan Florist) set around the room gave the atmosphere the delicate scent of lilies. The most coveted jockey: The New York Yankees' jockey, which fetched $5,000 for the association.
--Suzanne Ito
Harry Winston's cross-dressed Marilyn Monroe jockey; the New York Yankees' baseball jockey; and Vera Wang's swanky ascot-clad jockey were part of Literacy Partners' Dress the Jockeys benefit auction at the 21 Club.
Christie's George McNeely hosted the live auction, successfully coaxing higher bids out of some of the participants by saying things like, "Come on! It's for charity!"
Three rooms on the second floor of the 21 Club were opened up to host the Dress the Jockeys auction.
New York magazine's velvet and yellow vest-clad statue stood atop the New York magazine building, with pictures of celebs by Patrick McMullan peering through the windows. A three-year supply of back issues was stacked next to the statue.
