After the Fashion, the Festivities
c.2014 New York Times News Service
NEW YORK — Anyone who skipped through the countless fashion parties this past week can attest that the nightly spectacle has become as important for branding as the actual fashion shows.
Such was the case Sunday night, as ad-campaign stars, socialite “brand ambassadors” and various celebrities gathered at Diane von Furstenberg’s glam meatpacking district studio to celebrate her latest collection. “I was on a boat in the Mediterranean this summer, and that is very much the mood of the show,” von Furstenberg said, while gliding through the crowd of DVF-clad ingénues.
Meanwhile, Opening Ceremony’s party for its much-talked-about play (written by Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill) claimed the hipster spectrum. The VIP room at the 42 West club was stocked with non-fashion-world draws like Rashida Jones, Michael Cera and the Fanning sisters, Dakota and Elle.
“To me it was 10 times better than walking the runway,” said Dree Hemingway, who acted in the play.
But the real action was happening out on the throbbing dance floor marked with neon lights flashing “Opening Ceremony.” Postmodern club kids and young talent like DJ Jasmine Solano, British singer Natalia Kills and MeLo-X danced to music played by Arcade Fire’s Win Butler.
Joining the week’s branding frenzy were oodles of magazines and websites (Purple, InStyle, Interview, Style.com, Details, Paper and GQ, to name a few), retail stores (Band of Outsiders, Tod’s, Philip Lim, Barneys) and, of course, fashion designers. Even Alexander Wang’s hush-hush nonparty became a marketing moment, with help from a near-naked Miley Cyrus’ becoming Instagram bait the next morning.
More social media opportunities availed themselves Monday night, when Calvin Klein celebrated its new fragrance, Reveal, atop the new 4 World Trade Center. Rosario Dawson was there with her friend Amber Heard in a Calvin Klein white pantsuit after a week at Burning Man.
Just before midnight, Iggy Azalea took the stage with Rita Oro, performing hits for a crowd that looked as if it had stepped out of a CK ad. And in fact, many had.