Sure, New Yorkers may feel like cattle daily as they clamor shoulder to shoulder to g.php that last strap on the subway. But being herded by horses to an elegant dinner party? That’s new. For the School of American Ballet’s first winter gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center, sponsor Hermès outfitted staffers in giant horse heads—similar to chess pieces—to usher guests into the event from the elevator, just one of many surreal touches at the 1940’s French nightclub-style party.Hermès special events director Rory Hermelee worked with event designer Simon Costin to create a look inspired by French filmmakers Jean Cocteau and Jean Picart le Doux. Guests sipped cocktails in the atrium, where the walls (including “an ugly yellow wall covered in photographs,” according to Costin) became starlit skies with black draping and twinkling lights. Childlike chalk drawings of stars accented 16-foot-high wooden archways and the curvilinear booths that hugged mirrored tabletops. Spindly mirror-covered pyramid-shaped sculptures dotted the floor. Costin designed all the set and furniture pieces specially for the event.
When guests moved into the multilevel Allen Room for dinner, they found a dimly lit space, with stars projected on the walls, retro-style lamps on the tabletops, and a grand piano in front of the massive windowed wall, where singer Bryan Ferry and students of the ballet performed. Great Performances served Tuscan grilled shrimp with white bean cake; roasted herb chicken with Swiss chard, carrots, and.phparagus; and a trio of miniature parfaits for dessert.
After dinner, a younger crowd—including junior co-chairwoman Chelsea Clinton and pals—joined the group for cocktails, and DJ Cassidy spun the likes of Outkast and the Jackson 5 to quicken the pace. After all, Hermès’ people promised the party would carry on until the wee hours—or at least wee for a Monday night.
—Alesandra Dubin
Photo: Patrick McMullan (horse)
When guests moved into the multilevel Allen Room for dinner, they found a dimly lit space, with stars projected on the walls, retro-style lamps on the tabletops, and a grand piano in front of the massive windowed wall, where singer Bryan Ferry and students of the ballet performed. Great Performances served Tuscan grilled shrimp with white bean cake; roasted herb chicken with Swiss chard, carrots, and.phparagus; and a trio of miniature parfaits for dessert.
After dinner, a younger crowd—including junior co-chairwoman Chelsea Clinton and pals—joined the group for cocktails, and DJ Cassidy spun the likes of Outkast and the Jackson 5 to quicken the pace. After all, Hermès’ people promised the party would carry on until the wee hours—or at least wee for a Monday night.
—Alesandra Dubin
Photo: Patrick McMullan (horse)
At Jazz at Lincoln Center for the School of American Ballet’s first winter gala, sponsor Hermès outfitted staff in horse-head costumes.
Hermès and designer Simon Costin created a starlit milieu.
Childlike chalk drawings of stars accented curvilinear booths that hugged mirrored tabletops.
In the dimly lit Allen Room a grand piano sat in front of the massive windowed wall and retro-style lamps lit the tabletops.
