On Monday night at Love Heals’ “50 Fabulous New York Women—and One Guy,” an event promoting AIDS education, I realized that I have been to many parties at Diane Von Furstenberg stores—most recently a few weeks ago at the newish one on 14th and Washington for the Le Cirque seminar during the Wine & Food Festival—which is a testament to her generosity, meat market leadership (she really was one of the first there you know), and retail acumen.
Acria, Winter Antiques Show, C.F.D.A., fashion shows, causes up the wazoo—you name it, she hosts it. When you keep in mind she used to live above her meatpacking district space, it really is quite amazing. I finally broke down and bought something, granted only a candle, but it shows you that the donkey will drink if you lead it to water enough.
Times are tough, blah, blah, blah, I don’t have to tell you, but it’s part of the story, so done. This event has been around for a decade, and has morphed from a Valentine’s Day celebration to a fall evening, always saluting a bunch of cool, stylish chicks whose names you see in WWD or Page Six. This year’s roster counted Rachel Roy, Dylan Lauren, Liz Lange, and Charlotte Ronson.
Love Heals executive director Jasmine Nielsen had just finished telling me how they are faring in the current “challenging” environment: “We’ll be happy to clear $80,000 tonight, and then there’s an online auction next week on Rue La La.” Any tricks for saving money? “Having a supporter like DVF is a huge benefit. She’s helped us before. In addition to giving us 10 percent of the night’s proceeds, we have this beautiful site for a party for free.” Love Heals was founded by the family of Alison Gertz, my Hamptons neighbors, in honor of their daughter who died of AIDS. They do God’s work, which is hard work, AIDS prevention and education in Harlem and other at-risk areas.
Politically incorrect sex education joke intermission in honor of Sarah Palin:
Q: What do you call teenagers who practice abstinence pregnancy prevention?
A: Mom and dad.
But back to the DVF space. I looked up the glamorous staircase lined with primary colored cushions, lazily placed, and wished I were the kind of person who perched on a cushion with a cocktail and conspiratorial conversation. Instead, I was getting a tour of sponsor Rue La La by a nice enough marketing gal. I reluctantly signed over my email address, which means I’m going to be getting a daily email about luxury sales. But she gave me her business card (oh where the hell did I put it?) and promised I can call her if I find their marketing oppressive.
A tiny silent auction looked so forlorn I bid on a small girl's dress—I have over a dozen nieces, it has to fit one of them—designed by Lucy Sykes. I like Lucy. I like all those Sykes girls. They are stylish and funny and I used to bump into them on the way home late at night in the West Village. We seemed to keep the same (lamentable) hours. (When I got a call the next day to tell me I won the flowered number for my admittedly low bid, I felt badly.)
I got button-holed by St. Vincent's Hospital's charming event fund-raiser, Sheila Lennon. She had three more weeks before her big December 2 event and wanted to brainstorm about, what else, ways to raise her take for what sounds like a really swell night honoring AIDS czar Kenneth Cole.
She's having Nona Hendryx perform, one of the LaBelles, of course, who along with Patti is currently enjoying a hotness renaissance. Does anyone but me remember the ’80s Nona hit "I Sweat, I Sweat (Going Through The Motions)”? I suggested to Sheila to have a good dance floor. Sheila's also got Brooke Shields, producer Bobby Moresco, Thom Filicia, Carson Kressley, and Cyndi Lauper on board, and they're honoring all the important AIDS organizations, which for West Village stalwart St. Vincent's seems both clever and appropriate. She also needs a few more gift bag items. Call her at 212.604.6838, or visit the Web site. She sold me. I'm going.
P.S. To whom it may concern in the world of gift bags: Look, I know about the economy and appreciate thriftiness of any kind. But that doesn’t mean you get lazy: Leaving price tags on gift bag items, particularly marked-down items, is a style and marketing no-no. Particularly if the goods in question are marked, “Valued at $25.00,” “$12.00,” and finally “$2.99.” Twice.
