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Laura L. Griffin

By Laura L. Griffin 6/04/12 5:05pm

Popping Bottles

15 Photos

Who knew Mr. Figueras was a Doors fan?

Summery Styles and a Five-Drink Maximum at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic

Attendees of Saturday’s Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic must have been disappointed when they were informed of the five-drink maximum policy, enforced by Liberty State Park, the day’s venue. For one thing, it seems to have prevented the debauched behavior that unfolded in the VIP tent last year, but nevertheless, you can bet much champagne was swilled.

After some picnicking and milling around, an expectant and well-dressed crowd surrounded the polo field. Led by their captain and Ralph Lauren model Nacho Figueras, the Black Watch polo team trounced the Nespresso team (which, for the purposes of this match at least, seems to be polo’s answer to the Washington Generals).

But of course the real reason to pay attention to this event is the pageantry of the summer outfits: white dresses and plenty of straw hats. And, notably, Mr. Figueras sported slip-on Toms, a Jim Morrison T-shirt and a pocket square before trading them in for his polo digs. Read More

By Velvet Roper staff 5/31/12 1:21pm

Question of the Week

6 Photos

President Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Bob Dylan

Question of the Week: Alan Alda, Iris Apfel and Rose Hemingway Oblivious of Bob Dylan’s Presidential Medal of Freedom

So, what did we learn this week as we took the pulse of the partygoing public? A surprisingly large number of those we ran into while out and about apparently don’t have a “Bob Dylan” Google Alert, or possibly not even basic cable! Almost no one was aware of the major award bestowed upon Mr. Dylan by President Obama on Tuesday, the Presidential Medal of Freedom–the first rock musician to be given such an honor–an event which set the internet on fire, perhaps partially because of the crazed dictator look Mr. Dylan sported.

Click through our slideshow for expressions of surprise and ambivalence from several notables, plus comments by Patti Smith and Dylan Lauren, who, as Mr. Dylan’s namesake, bubbled over with congratulations. Read More

By Laura L. Griffin 5/24/12 2:38pm

Book Parties

23 Photos

Author Ari Seth Cohen with Lynn Dell Cohen, one of the Advanced Style fashion plates

Feathers, Leather, and Bragging About One’s Age at the Advanced Style Book Party

A generation-bridging mutual admiration society set up shop on Tuesday night at the Sky Room at the New Museum for a party celebrating the release of the book Advanced Style—a compendium of photographs and profiles of the adventurously dressing elderly women of New York City adapted from author Ari Seth Cohen’s street fashion blog of the same name—hosted by Nowness.com.

Mr. Cohen, the primary documentarian of this phenomenon, worked the room in a hot pink suit and dark blue oxfords, introducing his proud mother (who had “Ari’s Mom” painted on her thumbnails to mark the occasion) to the room full of his muses. Read More

By Laura L. Griffin 5/21/12 6:14pm

Blond Ambition

4 Photos

The new Nick Offerman: blond.

Ron Swanson, Is That Really You? Nick Offerman Is Now a Bearded Blond

NBC’s Parks and Recreation has had a lot of (deserved) good fortune recently. After rumors to the contrary, the fan favorite was renewed for a full fifth season, and the show was also awarded a Peabody Award, because, as the Peabodys’ website put it, the show “never condescends or caricatures. Instead it confronts the characters with problems from the trivial to the serious.” Truth!

But tragedy has befallen the cast: as seen at the awards luncheon this today, Nick Offerman, who plays the lushly mustachioed, dark-haired Ron Swanson, is now a bearded blond. (Or possibly a redhead?)

What explanation could there possibly be? See the slideshow for a couple of angles on the problem. (We’re also wondering if Aubrey Plaza and Amy Poehler coordinated on their fashion-shorts ensembles?) Read More

By Jenna Sauers 5/18/12 6:43pm

Party Report

Peter Brant Jr. (in The Pants) and Harry Brant. (PatrickMcMullan.com)

Details about Condé Nast’s NowManifest Acquisition (and the Brants’ Pants) at Jitrois Pop-Up Party

At the party he co-hosted at the Jitrois pop-up store in Soho, Peter Brant II was saying how much he liked his leather pants. “I just think their elastic leather is really fantastic,” said the fast-talking elder son of the Brant Publications magnate and art collector Peter M. Brant and the supermodel Stephanie Seymour. “It looks great on everybody! As you can see,” he said, gesturing to his black-and-silver Jitrois leather pants. The pants cost $2875. “That’s the main attraction.”

“I sometimes wear women’s pants, because I have very very tiny legs,” said Harry Brant. The younger Brant brother declared his Jitrois pants “so comfortable. The nylon looks like leather, but it feels like you’re wearing sweat pants.” Read More

By Velvet Roper staff 5/18/12 3:41pm

Question of the Week

6 Photos

Obama at Barnard

Question of the Week: Thoughts on Obama’s Barnard Commencement Speech from Partygoers Hugh Dancy, Patrick Wilson, Gavin McInnes and More

President Obama delivered the commencement address to almost 600 female grads of Barnard College on Monday, and spent the bulk of the speech enthusiastically encouraging the young women to “fight for a seat at the head of the table.” But he attributed the guidance that garnered the most cheers from the audience to First Lady Michelle: you can look good and be at the top of your professional game.

So, during our week out on the town, we asked everyone we ran into:

What did you think of Obama’s advice to young professional women that they can be “stylish and powerful”?

Herewith, an array of reactions from Hugh Dancy, Mary McFadden, Patrick Wilson, Mark Ruffalo, and Gavin McInnes (who, naturally, embraced the opportunity to make an Oprah joke). Read More

By Elise Knutsen 5/17/12 6:00pm

Charity Events

Jeff Koons and Susan Sarandon

Philanthropists Ponder (Literal) Pet Causes at WSJ’s Donor of the Day Gala

“I hate to see anyone suffering,” Michelle Harper told The Observer yesterday evening at the Wall Street Journal’s inaugural Donor of the Day gala. Collectively, the assembled crowd shared Ms. Harper’s sentiment, though each chose to express their benevolence in idiosyncratic and often personalized ways.

Ms. Harper, the sides of her petite head freshly buzzed for the occasion, explained that she promotes arts education, partly as function of her own upbringing. “I was always blessed to grow up around art,” she said, her bright lips pursed in thought (or pose, perhaps).

Jeff Koons, the evening’s host, explained his personal history with the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “In 1994 my son was abducted, a parental abduction, and through that experience I ended up always just kind of trusting that everything would work out. That the judiciary would return my son home. It never happened,” he shared. Mr. Koons was, of course, referring to the knock-down, drag-out court battle between his former wife, adult film star La Cicciolina, who fled to Italy with their son.

“I just realized that I couldn’t help my son but I wanted to try to help other children, and so I got involved,” said Mr. Koons, speaking softly as his heavily pregnant wife, Justine, looked on. Mr. Koons admitted that personal tragedies often color our charitable inclinations. “Some of that comes from what happens to you in your life and your own personal events,” he said. “But across the board people care about their families and they care about children… I think almost everybody in some manner probably tries to help the rights of children.” Read More