Bravo celebrated the season-two premiere of The Real Housewives of New York City at Gilt in the Palace Hotel Wednesday night, and the event's upscale (but scant) decor ultimately became impromptu swag for the 250 guests who attended. Los Angeles-based Precision Events Group's Jason Wanderer oversaw the evening's production, which consisted mainly of dozens of golden apples accenting the venue's tabletops, bars, and entryway. "When learning about the show and brand, [Bravo's director of digital marketing and events] Valerie Brown shared that the apple was an icon of the show," said Wanderer. "Based on the aesthetic of Gilt we decided to utilize them as key organic, yet subtle, branding elements."
Precision designed the apples in house, custom fabricating them from metal dipped in gold enamel. And they didn’t go unnoticed. Used as photo props throughout the night—gaggles of girls could be seen mimicking the Housewives pose, each with an apple in their palm—the golden centerpieces eventually became sought-after souvenirs.
The show’s stars got in on the fun, autographing them with Sharpie pens and even swiping a few for their own keepsakes. Unsure of whether it was kosher to make off with an apple (or two—one crafty guest noted they would make great bookends), many in the majority-female crowd surreptitiously shoved the fruits in their purses. How could you tell? They weren't light. Each apple weighed several pounds, causing handbags to suddenly appear as if they were full of bricks.
Kicking off at 7 p.m., and running until 11 p.m., the party's stars mixed with the masses for most of the evening, with nary a V.I.P. lounge in site. Passed appetizers from Gilt staffers were plentiful, and ranged from tuna tartare to mini grilled vegetable skewers. The apple theme carried over to the bar as well, where the evening's signature drink was a cider-champagne cocktail.
