Several hundred high-heeled women and a handful of gentlemen made their way past 11th Avenue Wednesday night for Self magazine’s fifth annual Rock Bodies party at Espace. Hosted by Friday Night Lights actress Minka Kelly and featuring a performance from British singer Estelle, the party paid tribute to the timeless fusion of fitness and pop music.
Yung Moon, associate publisher of creative services at Self, enlisted MKG Productions to produce, design, and build the event for the first time and Stacey Wechsler of Hired Gun Publicity to manage the red carpet and handle event press. “It’s definitely still an issue party, in that it focuses on the annual editorial, but it’s really evolved into this great opportunity to have a fun party for our clients,” said Moon. “We love this party because we can show our clients to the tastemakers of New York. It kicks off our summer.” Serendipitously, the Rock Bodies logo, with its angel wings sprouting from a fit female silhouette, looks awfully similar to the patterns in Espace's carpeting. The same flourishes adorned the walls and made up the room’s focal point, a large chandelier designed by MKG. The sparsely lit sculpture hovered above the stage, its large silver arms reaching for the four corners of the square room and clear Edison bulbs with exposed filaments dangling below.
The crowd munched on vegetable spring rolls, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and wonton crisps topped with tuna tartare and avocado mousse, and sipped summery house cocktails or wine at the Seven Daughters’ ice bar.
DJ Donna D'Cruz, in her gold lamé dress and bedazzled headphones, churned a mix of top 40 and obligatory old-school hits from her booth until Estelle took the stage promptly at 9:30 p.m. The singer's buoyant 20-minute set, with a small group of coordinated backup singers and dancers, included her current chart success, “American Boy,” which registered well with the tight crowd that gathered closer on all sides of the stage.
When the performance concluded, desserts filled the room. Guests picked over the lemon-meringue tarts, cream puffs, and chocolate-covered banana lollipops before grabbing their gift bags and heading off, most likely to points east.
Yung Moon, associate publisher of creative services at Self, enlisted MKG Productions to produce, design, and build the event for the first time and Stacey Wechsler of Hired Gun Publicity to manage the red carpet and handle event press. “It’s definitely still an issue party, in that it focuses on the annual editorial, but it’s really evolved into this great opportunity to have a fun party for our clients,” said Moon. “We love this party because we can show our clients to the tastemakers of New York. It kicks off our summer.” Serendipitously, the Rock Bodies logo, with its angel wings sprouting from a fit female silhouette, looks awfully similar to the patterns in Espace's carpeting. The same flourishes adorned the walls and made up the room’s focal point, a large chandelier designed by MKG. The sparsely lit sculpture hovered above the stage, its large silver arms reaching for the four corners of the square room and clear Edison bulbs with exposed filaments dangling below.
The crowd munched on vegetable spring rolls, prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, and wonton crisps topped with tuna tartare and avocado mousse, and sipped summery house cocktails or wine at the Seven Daughters’ ice bar.
DJ Donna D'Cruz, in her gold lamé dress and bedazzled headphones, churned a mix of top 40 and obligatory old-school hits from her booth until Estelle took the stage promptly at 9:30 p.m. The singer's buoyant 20-minute set, with a small group of coordinated backup singers and dancers, included her current chart success, “American Boy,” which registered well with the tight crowd that gathered closer on all sides of the stage.
When the performance concluded, desserts filled the room. Guests picked over the lemon-meringue tarts, cream puffs, and chocolate-covered banana lollipops before grabbing their gift bags and heading off, most likely to points east.
The event's logo behind the bar
Photo: Marion Curtis/Starpix
The carpeting at Espace seemed to blend right into the Self decals adorning the pillars and walls.
Photo: Bill McGeary
MKG Productions designed and built the chandelier perched above the stage in the center of the room.
Photo: Marion Curtis/Starpix
Gobos of the Rock Bodies silhouette changed positions throughout the night.
Photo: Marion Curtis/Starpix
Lounge seating lined the room for guests more interested in relaxing than dancing to the music.
Photo: Bill McGeary
Similar to a theater in the round, the stage format meant that guests were never more than a few feet away from Estelle's performance.
Photo: Bill McGeary
Purple worked its way into more than the lighting. Estelle, her band, and backup dancers and singers all incorporated the color into their outfits.
Photo: Marion Curtis/Starpix
