Predictably, the premiere for Matt Tyrnauer's documentary about designer Valentino Garavani caused a stir last night, flooding the Museum of Modern Art and the Oak Room at the Plaza with more than 400 names from fashion, Hollywood, and the New York social set. Although this certainly wasn't the first fete for the film—parties followed its debut at the Venice Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival—the guest list included notables such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Martha Stewart, Helena Christensen, and Diane von Furstenberg. The prominent designer, now retired, also made more than just a brief appearance at the celebration, which was washed in his signature red.
The setting at MoMA was fairly minimal, without much more than a red carpet and a step-and-repeat. However, the Oak Room—which is currently closed for renovations and scheduled to reopen this weekend—was a little more dressed up for the occasion. To create an intimate environment that was visibly Valentino without branding or signage, the space was outfitted with rich red details—from tables swathed in red cloth to red velvet seat cushions and red lettering on the place cards and menus. Even the food provided by the eatery for the 200-person dinner matched the color palette, with cherry tomatoes accenting the leek vinaigrette salad and a raspberry vacherin tiramisu served for dessert.
Handling the production and coordination for the premiere of Valentino: The Last Emperor and dinner that followed was an assorted team that included Peggy Siegal, the movie's publicity firm 42 West, representatives from Valentino, and the evening's sponsors—lifestyle group Quintessentially (namely its event division, Quintessentially Events) and members-only shopping Web site Gilt Groupe.
