The Museum at FIT’s Couture Council Summer Party was held at the East Side town home of style and decorating icon Charlotte Moss (charlottemoss.com). The Moss home and garden were filled with New York's beautiful, interesting and stylish, who had "dressed to the nines" both in honor of the occasion and to enjoy being displayed in such a beautiful setting. The home is simply exquisite and the back yard a marvel filled with zinnias, marigolds, potted jasmine and bright orchids.

Dries van Noten

Ms. Moss, Yaz Hernandez, Liz Peek and Sarah Wolfe hosted the party in honor of the upcoming fourth annual Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion which will be presented to Belgian designer Dries van Noten at a luncheon at Cipriani 42nd Street on September 9, 2009.

Guest for the party included: Dr. Valerie Steele, director and chief curator of The Museum at FIT; Yigal Azrouel; Glenda Bailey (Harper's Bazaar); Designer Yildiz Yuksek Blackstone (Luca Luca); Hamish Bowles (Vogue); Designer David Chu; Designer Christian Cota; Somers Farkas; Amy Fine Collins; Cece Cord; Designer Victor Costa; Jennifer Creel; Beth Rudin DeWoody; Joni Evans; Cathy Hardwick; Sarah Hartshorn (America's Next Top Model Season 9); Designer Gemma Kahng; Designer Nanette Lepore; Claudia Lebenthal; Alexandra Lebenthal; Phoebe Legere; Gillian and Sylvester Miniter; Designer Ralph Rucci; Designer Arnold Scaasi; Helen and Tim Schifter; and Designer Kay Unger. (Be sure to scroll down for party photos.)

The Party in the Garden
Photo Credit Patrick McMullen

Liz Peek and Dr. Valerie Steele addressed the crowd from the home's second floor balcony which over looked the garden. They announced Van Noten as the 2009 honoree and led a toast to the designer's work.

Here is a quote from the press release about the coming luncheon and the history of the Couture Council:

"The Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) will honor Dries van Noten with the 2009 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion at its fourth benefit luncheon at New York City’s Cipriani 42nd Street on Wednesday, September 9, 2009. Once again, the Couture Council’s always anticipated annual luncheon is the first event of New York’s Fall Fashion Week.
The Museum at FIT is the only museum in New York City dedicated solely to the art of fashion. Best known for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions, which have been described by Roberta Smith in The New York Times as “ravishing,” the museum has a collection of more than 50,000 garments and accessories dating from the 18th century to the present. Like other fashion museums (such as the Musée de la Mode, the Mode Museum, and the Museo de la Moda), the Museum at FIT collects, conserves, documents, exhibits, and interprets fashion. The museum’s mission is to advance knowledge of fashion through exhibitions, publications, and public programs. Visit www.fitnyc.edu/museum."

(Quote Continued) "The Couture Council is a membership group of fashion enthusiasts that helps support the exhibitions and programs of The Museum at FIT. For information on the Couture Council, call 212-217-4532 or e-mail Couturecouncil@fitnyc.edu."

 

Liz Peek and Yaz Hernandez
Photo Credit Brandie Raasch

Somers Farkas, Amy Fine Collins and Liz Peek
Photo Credit Brandie Raasch