AVENUE Insider ALEXANDER HANKIN reports
Co-chairing the Whitney Museum’s Art Party requires a touch of glamour and a flair for the spectacular. Fortunately, I possess these qualities in abundance. This year’s theme is an homage to disco, inspired by the “Edges of Ailey” exhibition focused on the life and legacy of Alvin Ailey, a titan of dance and choreography.
For the sparkling occasion, I wear a spectacular Armani glittery silver turtleneck and a sleek shimmery Armani dinner jacket. Accompanying me: disco duo Bailey Foote and Isabella Pisacane. My co-chairs for the packed party are Steven Beltrani, in a sharp Brunello Cucinelli suit and Micaela Erlanger, in a vintage Dior mirrored dress.
I mingle with an array of disco-dazzlers at the VIP reception like Mischa Barton, in a shiny black Delphine dress and Jessel Taank in silver Sally LaPointe. Fitness guru Tracy Anderson lights up the room in a vibrant, multicolored Bottega Veneta and Julia Haart embodies the spirit of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” in a sequined Fendi jumpsuit and Chanel cape. Fresh from winning her divorce, reality star diva Haart is ready to boogie the night away. The ultimate title for best dressed of the evening? Emily Hampshire channeling Studio 54 legend Bianca Jagger in a sequined Badgley Mischka dress.
I venture upstairs and reconnect with my good friend and Whitney board member, Paul Arnhold. We explore the Ailey exhibition, and I bump into designer Jill Stuart and Dianne Brill – the nightlife queen of New York in the 90s.
I return downstairs to the dance floor – a vibrant sea of exuberant revelers, all grooving to disco hits spun by DJs of the moment The Muses. Through the swirling, pulsating lights, I spot Tinu Naija, Polina Proskina, and Ally Shapiro in a black corset. I inquire about Ally’s date for the night—none other than Love Is Blind heartthrob Leo Braundy—and she plays coy, leaving a hint of mystery in the air.
