Standout details of the event included striking ice sculptures, made by Okamoto Studio, that encased colorful florals from The Mini Rose Co.Photo: Kato Ceaser
NEW YORK—Some incredible history has been written at Fairmont Hotels & Resorts around the globe, since the brand opened its first hotel in 1907. Truman Capote threw his famous Black and White Ball—known as one of the most celebrated parties of the 1960s—at The Plaza Hotel New York, a Fairmont managed hotel. And when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin returned to Earth from landing on the moon, their first cocktail was delivered via flask from The Savoy, a Fairmont outpost in London.
Momentous stories like these were brought to life on April 12 at Rockefeller Center for an extravagant dinner celebrating Fairmont’s release of its new coffee table book, Grand by Nature. The art book is a treasure trove of history, tales, and notable guests of the brand’s hotels.
Studio HS, the brand experience and experiential marketing division of H&S Communications, worked with Fairmont to create a detailed, alluring dinner event as a way to introduce editors and influencers to the book and give them an awe-inspiring night at an iconic New York City venue.
“We were initially tasked with finding a really nice restaurant in the city to host a quick dinner for 20 [people] and tell them about the book,” explains Amaany Clarke, senior experiential producer for H&S. But after she and her team sat down with the Paris-based, chief creative officer of Accor (owner of the Fairmont brand), Jean-Guilhem Lamberti, she said: "We all felt inspired to dig a little deeper and figure out ways to bring it to life in an interesting, experiential way. The vision evolved over time, over two to three months of planning, but all for the better.”
The H&S team wanted a venue that spoke to the energy of New York City, while also bringing views and natural greenery as a nod to the Grand by Nature ethos. Rockefeller Center’s 620 Loft & Garden fit the bill. The loft area overlooking Midtown Manhattan played host to a gallery of blown-up images from the book for guests to peruse during cocktail hour, while a 37-foot-long garden and pool area was ideal for the intricate tablescape where 28 guests sat.
"I wanted the level of detail ... to really reflect what it would be like if you were at that Truman Capote Black and White Ball and you were sitting with Audrey Hepburn and Andy Warhol. I wanted it to feel grand," said Elizabeth Harrison, CEO and co-founder of H&S.
See the full list of vendors involved, and scroll down for photos and more fun details from inside the event.
VENDORS
A/V: ATD AV
Catering: Pinch Food Design
Florals: The Mini Rose Co.
Ice Sculptures: Okamoto Studio
Logistics: Rodrigo Pinto's In2 Design Productions
Prints: Vida Signs
Venue: 620 Loft & Garden
And under each plate was a card for a trivia game, where guests recalled fun facts they'd learned about Fairmont's history throughout the night. Clarke said this was one of her favorite moments of the evening. "We were concerned people might not be interested in the game, but it got very competitive!" she quipped. Prizes included Fairmont-branded custom vinyl records featuring the playlist of the evening—"music is such an important part of the history as well," Clarke said—and a free stay at one of the Fairmont properties.
