Alexander Hankin reports from the fashion party of the season
I adore high-designer events that draw top clients and celebrities. And Louis Vuitton’s pop-up store opening on 57th Street is everything and more. It is the kind of soirée that has the whole city buzzing. I have a 5 a.m. flight to Dallas the next morning, so I channel my inner cowboy and don Vuitton x Timberline boots, a western-style LV belt buckle, a vintage Virgil Abloh flannel, and to complete the look: a Louis Vuitton banjo coin charm that ties my whole outfit together.
Walking into the “temporary” space is like stepping into a whole new realm—this is not your average pop-up. Nestled next to Tiffany & Co., the design screams sophistication, courtesy OMA Architects. And just as I soak it all in, who do I see? Design legend Peter Marino in his signature bad-boy black leather. Cynthia Erivo wears an “Elphaba” green (a nod to her role in “Wicked”) off the shoulder dress. Bradley Cooper looks dapper as ever in his LV suit. I peer over the railing from the men’s floor, and I spot Martha Stewart posing for a sea of photographers in a hunter green Vuitton number. Other Louis Vuitton clad celebs include Juliana Canfield, Jennifer Connelly, Ana de Armas, Nina Debrov, Willa Fitzgerald, Este Haim, Eve Hewson, and Ella Hunt, just to name a few.
The first thing that catches my eye? The Ruinart bar. I’m not one to overindulge in drinks, but when there’s endless Ruinart, count me in. My crew includes Ashley Strouse in a Vuitton blazer, and Ryan Clark in a black and white Balmain blazer (remember, you don’t have to wear the designer whose event you’re attending). We grab glasses and raise a toast to the fabulous opening. As we weave through the crowd, Clark perfectly sums it up: “Being at this store opening reminds me why Louis Vuitton is a global icon—it evolves yet stays timeless.” I snag a NYC-exclusive LV baseball hat on the spot—I can’t resist a shopping moment.
I reach the fourth floor, and stumble upon the coolest thing ever: a chocolate shop, Le Chocolat Maxime Frédéric, complete with adorable chocolate Vuitton trunks. I wander into the jam-packed Le Café Louis Vuitton and indulge in what feels like my weight in caviar stuffed croissants (don’t judge!). I run into Isabelle Marino holding court – thank God she saves a seat for me at the table.
I prepare to take my leave and my phone buzzes. A few moments later, I am reunited with Meredith Marks and we close out the party together. The celebration is supposed to wrap up then but keeps going for an extra hour. In New York, fashion never has a curfew. – ALEXANDER HANKIN
