1. ‘WINE CAVE’ FUND-RAISING VENUE BECOMES TARGET IN DEMOCRATIC DEBATE: Following his rise in recent polls, it was Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s turn to be the target of his competitors' ire Thursday night at the sixth Democratic presidential debate. Just 24-hours after President Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives, seven candidates who qualified for the latest tussle, met for the debate at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Candidates duked it out over accepting large donations, immigration, and much more in the most lively debate yet. New York Post: “‘Billionaires in wine caves should not pick the next president of the United States,’ said Senator Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts, referring to a recent fund-raiser Buttigieg held in a Napa Valley winery sparkling with a chandelier of 1,500 Swarovski crystals, widely blasted as tone-deaf. From Warren, whose campaign trademark has been the call for an economic reckoning of America’s most deep-pocketed, Buttigieg took the cutting comment as a ‘purity test’ laced with hypocrisy. ... Buttigieg also noted that he is the only one of the seven candidates not a millionaire or billionaire — including Warren.”
2. GOVERNORS BALL ORGANIZERS CONSIDER MOVING EVENT TO THE BRONX: Following a tumultuous iteration this past summer, the Governors Ball could shift to the Bronx from Randall’s Island. A thunderstorm led to an evacuation during the 2019 event and the city’s transportation infrastructure failed to swiftly bring attendees to safety. Now, organizers are considering bringing the event to Van Cortlandt Park, though area officials aren’t onboard with the idea. The City: “‘We are indeed exploring the idea of moving the festival to Van Cortlandt Park,’ [event organizer] Founders Entertainment’s Tom Russell told The City Wednesday. ‘A ton of people are very interested and excited about the idea,' he added. The company had already applied for—and been denied—a permit from the Parks Department that would allow them to host the 2020 festival at Van Cortlandt Park, Russell told board members at the meeting. The festival, whose third day turned into a rainy nightmare earlier this year, has featured acts ranging from Kanye West, Nas and Outkast, to Florence and the Machine, Interpol, and Björk.”
3. CFDA REVEALS ITS NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SCHEDULE: The Council of Fashion Designers of America has released its schedule for New York Fashion Week, and some big-name designers didn’t make the cut. Neither Ralph Lauren nor Tommy Hilfiger are on the schedule, while Tom Ford, chairman of the CFDA, is listed on the New York Fashion Week schedule on February 7—though his show is in Los Angeles. WWD: “The schedule has many of the regulars such as Nicole Miller, Jason Wu, Brandon Maxwell, Proenza Schouler, Anna Sui, 3.1 Phillip Lim, Rag & Bone, The Row, Alice & Olivia, Gabriela Hearst, Tibi, Dennis Basso, and Michael Kors. Some of the later shows are Laquan Smith on February 8, Palm Angels on February 9, Oscar de la Renta on February 10, and Christian Cowan on February 11. Not on CFDA’s Fashion Calendar is Christian Siriano, who plans to show in New York on February 6."