Glenda Bailey, editor-in-chief of
Harper's Bazaar, and Valerie
Steele, director and chief curator
of The Museum at FIT,
hosted cocktails for Isabel Toledo’s
Manhattan penthouse loft
on Tuesday, July 22, on behalf of
the Couture Council of The
Museum at FIT.
Over two hundred guests braved the
heat to celebrate Isabel
Toledo at the Garment District
atelier she shares with her
husband, artist Ruben Toledo.
Joining Couture Council
founders Liz Peek, Yaz Hernandez,
Sarah Wolfe and FIT
President Dr. Joyce F. Brown were
designers Vera Wang, Adi
Ange, and Gabi of Threeasfour, Yigal
Azrouel; Jeffrey banks,
Maria Cornejo, Christian Cota,
Stephen Dweck, Eric Javits,
Gemma Kahng, and Michael Vollbracht.
Additional guests included Matthew
Modine, Simon Doonan,
Carmen, Eric Villency, Iris and Carl
Apfel, Alexandra
Lebenthal, The Baroness, Joey Arias,
Louise and terry
Doktor, Gary and Sharon Greengrass,
Michael Gross and
Barbara Hodes, Pat Kerr, Patrick
McDonald, Jana Pasquel
Shapiro, Helen Schifter, Samantha
Thompson, and many
more.
Glenda Bailey and FIT President, Dr.
Joyce F. Brown, toasted
the Toledos from the wrought iron
balcony overlooking the
loft, which was lit through sky
lights and features murals by
Ruben Toledo along with an eclectic
blend of mobiles, sculpture,
and a giant cactus. Guests were
served signature drinks
- mojitos with Oronoco Rum and
Sterling wine, courtesy of
Diageo.
The Couture Council also announced
Isabel Toledo as the
recipient of the 2008 Award for
Artistry and Fashion. The
award will be given to Ms. Toledo at
a benefit luncheon to be
held at the Rainbow Room on
September 3rd. Andre Leon
Tally, American editor-at-large for
Vogue, will present the
award, and Simon Doonan, creative
director for Barneys
New York, will emcee the event.
Previous recipients of the Couture
Council Artistry of
Fashion Award are Alber Elbaz of
Lanvin, who received the
award in 2007, and Ralph Rucci, the
recipient in 2006.
The award will precede a major
retrospective of Toledo’s
work at The Museum at FIT, entitled
Holy Toledo! Isabel
Toledo and the Art of Fashion,
opening June 19, 2009 through
September 26, 2009. This exhibition
will feature more than
75 looks dating from 1985 to the
present, including fluid jersey
dresses, seductive lace, and
architectural denim..
Illustrations by Ruben Toledo will
also be featured, as will
films of Isabel’s fashion shows and
other visuals that explore
her creative process. A lavishly
illustrated catalogue, written
by co-curators Valerie Steele and
Patricia Mears and published
by Yale University Press will
accompany the exhibition.
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-wining 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 Musee 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. Please visit:
www.fitnyc.edu/museum.
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
please call 212 217 4532 or e-mail:
couturecoucil@fitnyc.edu.
The museum is [art of the Fashion
Institute of Technology
(FIT), a college of art and design,
business and technology
that educates more than 10,000
students annually.
For more
information please visit:
www.fitnyc.edu.
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