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  1. Catering & Design
  2. Tabletop

Models Play Games, Food Floats on Toy Boats at Stella McCartney's Presentation and Store Dinner

Jim Shi
January 13, 2012

Charm and wit have become the trademarks of Stella McCartney’s fashion presentations, and at her pre-fall show Monday night in the West Village, things certainly didn’t veer far off that trajectory. The designer gathered a crowd of 200 or so editors and retailers to the cozy restaurant One if by Land, Two if by Sea for an American-preppy-meets-English-attire aesthetic delivered by cliques of laughing, socializing, game-playing models staged in intimate vignettes.

Owen Davidson and Anne Landy, principals at AO Production, longtime partners of the Stella McCartney team, created three distinct and unique rooms to present the collection. The main ground floor dining room and bar became a cozy sitting room with sofas, fireplaces, an abundance of colorful florals and liberally scattered votives; the Constitution room became a library; and the mezzanine was turned into a games room.

“Stella’s vision for the presentation was to find a venue that had an Old World charm that evoked classic New York, so the challenge was to turn traditional dining spaces of a restaurant into the feel of an old New York residence,” said Davidson, whose team set up and struck the venue in 12 hours. “The feeling was for guests to move through each of the spaces with each telling a separate story.”

McCartney's imprint was also noticeable in the night's menu. The restaurant served vegetarian fare in keeping with the designer's animal-free ethos, which meant traditional British fare like beef Wellington was remade as mushroom Welling. And, in addition to champagne and chardonnay, the drinks selection included a Stella-themed cocktail—a take on a Moscow Mule, really—comprised of vodka, fresh lime juice, and ginger beer.

Following the presentation, McCartney hosted a whimsical, elegant seated dinner for 50 at her SoHo store to celebrate its recent relocation from the meatpacking district. Set up for this part of the night took about two days, Davidson said, while planning for both events started about three months ago. Whipped up by chef Mario Batali—think artichoke ravioli with lemon and fennel butter and warm Nutella cake for dessert—and executed by caterer Mary Giuliani, the vegetarian Italian meal was presented on playful toy boats that floated along, conveyor-belt style, a moat of water inlaid into the tabletop. As an ode to New York, toys like taxicabs, sightseeing buses, and Big Apple snow globes adorned the table centerpieces, flanking ice sculptures of local iconic structures like the Empire State Building and the Brooklyn Bridge.

As each area was set up to tell a different story in the collection, the games room also included models socializing and playing billiards, or 'snooker,' as the Brits say, to show the clothes in an interactive environment.
As each area was set up to tell a different story in the collection, the games room also included models socializing and playing billiards, or "snooker," as the Brits say, to show the clothes in an interactive environment.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
To match the aesthetic of her collection, Stella McCartney chose the intimate and cozy One if by Land, Two if by Sea as the site for her pre-fall 2012 presentation. Decorating the West Village restaurant's bar were wood block letters made by Idaho-based Woodland Manufacturing that spelled out the designer's first name.
To match the aesthetic of her collection, Stella McCartney chose the intimate and cozy One if by Land, Two if by Sea as the site for her pre-fall 2012 presentation. Decorating the West Village restaurant's bar were wood block letters made by Idaho-based Woodland Manufacturing that spelled out the designer's first name.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
As has become a signature of Stella McCartney's festive fashion presentations, models interacted with each other, with attending guests, and with props like a photography book by the designer's late mother, Linda McCartney (pictured).
As has become a signature of Stella McCartney's festive fashion presentations, models interacted with each other, with attending guests, and with props like a photography book by the designer's late mother, Linda McCartney (pictured).
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
The mezzanine of the restaurant was converted into a games room for the soirée and included a table where models clad in the pre-fall collection played Scrabble.
The mezzanine of the restaurant was converted into a games room for the soirée and included a table where models clad in the pre-fall collection played Scrabble.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Tucked in the restaurant's back room alcove was the accessories display, set up on glossy white stands.
Tucked in the restaurant's back room alcove was the accessories display, set up on glossy white stands.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Adding further dimension to the event, a custom topiary spelling out the designer's name rested in the restaurant's outdoor garden, which was visible to guests through the windows.
Adding further dimension to the event, a custom topiary spelling out the designer's name rested in the restaurant's outdoor garden, which was visible to guests through the windows.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Live jazz entertainment came courtesy of New York-based Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. The band has been featured in multiple Woody Allen films and in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.
Live jazz entertainment came courtesy of New York-based Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. The band has been featured in multiple Woody Allen films and in the HBO series Boardwalk Empire.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
A Zoltar machine on the restaurant's second floor doled out fortunes for guests.
A Zoltar machine on the restaurant's second floor doled out fortunes for guests.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Vertical towers of illuminated neon blocks flanked the entrance to Stella McCartney's SoHo store for the dinner portion of the evening.
Vertical towers of illuminated neon blocks flanked the entrance to Stella McCartney's SoHo store for the dinner portion of the evening.
Photo: Andrew Toth/PatrickMcMullan.com
Inside the store, AO Production carved a moat of water into the dinner table and equipped the shallow channel with a conveyor belt, sushi bar-like system that pulled floating boats filled with appetizers, toys, flowers, desserts, and even a Flip camera that took pictures of guests.
Inside the store, AO Production carved a moat of water into the dinner table and equipped the shallow channel with a conveyor belt, sushi bar-like system that pulled floating boats filled with appetizers, toys, flowers, desserts, and even a Flip camera that took pictures of guests.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Five-foot-tall ice sculptures of iconic New York landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge (pictured), sat in the middle of the dinner table.
Five-foot-tall ice sculptures of iconic New York landmarks, including the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and the Brooklyn Bridge (pictured), sat in the middle of the dinner table.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Created by Mario Batali and executed by the team at Mary Giuliani, the dinner's vegetarian Italian menu included items like eggplant and goat cheese tart with Taggiasca olives and arugula pesto.
Created by Mario Batali and executed by the team at Mary Giuliani, the dinner's vegetarian Italian menu included items like eggplant and goat cheese tart with Taggiasca olives and arugula pesto.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
With dinner served on rotating toy boats, the catering team not only had to take into account the size of the plates and weight and temperature of the food, but also produce enough for a substantial meal.
With dinner served on rotating toy boats, the catering team not only had to take into account the size of the plates and weight and temperature of the food, but also produce enough for a substantial meal.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
Boston-based Celtic band the Ivy Leaf performed live during the cocktails portion of dinner.
Boston-based Celtic band the Ivy Leaf performed live during the cocktails portion of dinner.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
The dinner table was anchored by a vintage black-and-white scenic backdrop of the New York harbor, complete with the Statue of Liberty that the floating boats emerged from.
The dinner table was anchored by a vintage black-and-white scenic backdrop of the New York harbor, complete with the Statue of Liberty that the floating boats emerged from.
Photo: Joe Schildhorn/BFAnyc.com
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