Buff, bare-chested men in sequined white hot pants and furry accessories and transsexual nightlife icon Amanda Lepore as Santa Claus are hardly the staples of a traditional corporate holiday party. Then again, Chandelier Creative doesn't fancy itself a place for run-of-the-mill ideas. So the ad agency's fourth annual holiday party was decidedly kooky and just a little bit kinky. Held Thursday night at the company's 6,000-square-foot penthouse offices in SoHo, the Belvedere Vodka-sponsored soiree for about 700 guests was, according to company president Richard Christensen, loosely themed around Chandelier Creative's Web site, Awesomeville.com.
“It’s the one time of year we can unashamedly be ourselves and be over the top and sparkle,” he said. “So we wanted it full of crazy fun creatures and a super-contagious, optimistic, and happy vibe with a bit of a wink.”
In fact, the hallway leading to the party was intentionally darkened to look decrepit, contrasting with the scantily clad "Christmas angel" swinging from the door, grotto furnished with a gold throne, inflatable Santa Claus, and other brightly colored decor inside. There were creatures—men dressed as oversize stuffed animal mascots—to greet guests, holding neon-hued signs to direct visitors to the live peep show and a silent auction (100 percent of proceeds benefited the New Museum), as well as those that urged revelers to "make out with somebody tonight."
Less dressed were the male and female models who staffed the food and drink stations. Two long bars in the area where office tables normally sit held cocktails served by bartenders in white hot pants; girls in miniskirts and white-sequined bikini tops manned a hot dog cart and "fairy floss" stand in another section. In a skimpy Santa outfit, Lepore held court on a red tufted throne decked out with gold palm trees, gamely posing for photos with guests.
Just as suggestive was the peep show of nude "interns," where for $5 or a raffle ticket voyeurs could peek through holes in a custom-built black wall and watch the volunteers, in their birthday suits, photocopy their best assets. In addition to raising funds for the New Museum, this racy activity was designed to encourage guests to move through the entire party space. “Last year, a lot of people stayed in the main room to hear the gospel choir,” explained Christensen, “so the peep show keeps guests moving in between rooms.”
Half way through the evening, the band Twin Shadow performed, and at the end of the night professional dancer “Narcissister” put on a reverse striptease that had her starting off nude and getting dressed as she pulled clothes out of her hair. As Christensen said, “At Christmas, it’s all about unexpected delight.”
