Chairpersons Yaz Hernandez, Alexandra Lebenthal, Charlotte Moss and Liz Peek hosted this year's Couture Council of the Fashion Institute of Technology Summer Party at the elegant Cultural Services of the French Embassy mansion on Fifth Avenue. The purpose of the party was to promote ticket sales for the Couture Council's annual luncheon, held in honor of a designer whose work has propelled him or her into the stratosphere of fashion stars. This year's honoree is Karl Lagerfeld and just the idea of Lagerfeld has generated so much excitement that Fashion Institute of Technology President Dr. Joyce Brown was pleased to announce to the assembled partygoers that the 2010 Awards Luncheon had sold out.

Even though there was no need to sell tickets, the Summer Party itself was a celebration of the art of fashion. The Summer Party is one of the few New York City parties held in August (it's casual but expensive frock time in the Hamptons), so New York City's fashion icons view the Summer Party as an opportunity to display their walking art billboards (themselves).

The room was filled with both uptown and downtown fashion glitteratti: Ralph Rucci (2006 Couture Council honoree), Fashion Designer Francisco Costa, Fashion Designer Gemma Khang, FIT Museum Director Valerie Steele, FIT President Dr. Joyce Brown, Linda Fargo (Senior Vice President Bergdorf Goodman), Fashion Designer Christian Cota, Lucia Hwong-Gordon, Chairperson Yaz Hernandez with her husband Valentin Hernandez, Chairperson Liz Peek, Chairperson Alexandra Lebenthal, Chairperson Charlotte Moss (host of the 2009 Summer Party), Fashion Designer Nicole Miller, Designer Cathy Hardwick, Hilary Geary Ross and Wilbur Ross, Alexis Winner, Cece Cord, Club Promoter Carmen D'Alessio, Barbara Tober (Chairman Emerita of the Museum of Art and Design), Congress Woman Carolyn Maloney, Carson Kressley, Fashion Designer Douglas Hannant, Eleanora Kennedy and Michael Kennedy, Emma Snowden-Jones, Jean Shafiroff, Fox News contributor Kimberly Guilfoyle, Fashion Designer Maggie Norris, Michele Gerber Klein, Patricia Mears, Fashion Designer Michelle Harper, Tia Walker, Alex McCord and Simon Van Kempen of The Real Housewives of New York, Fashion Designer Victor Desouza and the incomparable Lynn Yaeger dressed in garments from London's Spitafields Market.

The Couture Council's parties benefits the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Check out the Museums new exhibit - Japan Fashion Now - which runs from September 17, 2010 - January 8, 2011.

Linda Fargo, Christian Cota and Lucy Hwong Gordon
Photo Credit Patrick McMullen

Kithe Brewster and Victor de Souza
Photo Credit Mary Blanco