 |
| Cindy Crawford with Lookonline’s Lieba Nesis Click images for full size views |
The well known rivalry between Anna Wintour’s Conde Nast and Glenda Bailey’s Hearst was ratcheted up this past Friday September 8, 2017 with Hearst throwing the party of the year at the Plaza Hotel to celebrate Bazaar’s Icon issue. This year’s September issue included an 18-page spread of stars chosen by global fashion director Carine Roitfeld including: Courtney Love, Dionne Warwick, Adriana Lima, Joan Smalls, Miranda Lambert and the Weeknd. Photographed by Brigitte Lacombe the shots appeared in 32 international editions of Bazaar.
 |
| Sara Sampaio and Sadie Newman All photos Lieba Nesis |
Carine Roitfeld who was fired from Vogue Paris in 2010 has been given a second act in the highly unforgiving world of fashion and maintaining her preeminence by forging connections with top celebrities and models. This year Carine and Bazaar threw a party that reminded some of the Costume Institute Gala and that must have Conde Nast sweating. With sponsors Stella Artois, Fujifilm, Infor, Laura Mercier and Swarovski shelling out big bucks to take over the entire Plaza Hotel there was no expense spared.
 |
| Daphne Oz |
There were around 8 different red carpets for celebrities to pose on with dozens of top photographers vying to take their picture. On one carpet Swarovski-embroidered guitars were handed to attendees to pose with, while on another carpet free cameras were distributed to take Polaroids. The list of luminaries was nothing short of spectacular with Selena Gomez, Kim Kardashian, Anwar Hadid, Nicola Peltz, Gigi Hadid, Paris Jackson, Jim Carrey, Paris and Nicky Hilton, Cindy Crawford and her entire family, Heidi Klum, Jared Leto, Courtney Love, Ty Dolla, Ciara, Swizz Beatz, and Scott Disick being some of the luminaries.
 |
| Morgan Osman and Philipp Plein |
When Nicki Minaj is practically ignored you know this is a “happening” (Although Jim Carrey remarked on the red carpet “there’s no meaning to any of this”). The number of Instagram followers of the attendees would add up to close to half a billion-including Kim Kardashian and Selena Gomez who have 103 and 126 million followers, respectively. Moreover, there were more models than a Victoria’s secret casting call and they came dressed in their sexiest and most elaborate threads knowing the competition would be fierce.
 |
| Anwar Hadid and Nicola Peltz. |
Victoria’s Secret and Sports Illustrated beauties who attended included: Kendall Jenner, Ashley Graham, Suki Waterhouse, Sara Sampaio, Candice Swanepoel, Kelly Rohrbach, Nina Agdal, Carol Alt, Karlie Kloss, Adriana Lima, Irina Shayk, Shanina Shaik, Crystal Renn, Devon Windsor, Hailey Baldwin, Rachel Hilbert, Cindy Bruna, Veronica Webb, Natasha Poly, Nadine Leopold, Lais Ribeiro, Lais Oliveira, Mario Borges and the list goes on.
 |
| Maye Musk |
Even male models were well represented with superstars Garrett Neff, Jordan Barrett, Tyson Ballou and Nick Bateman being a few of the hunks strutting the Plaza Halls. There was even something for the kids with Disney stars Spencer and Peyton List, Sabrina Carpenter and Victoria Justice showing up for the soiree. Some older beauties who attended included Maye Musk, Elon Musk’s mother, who showed up in a floor length white gown and pompadour, and fashion icon Iris Apfel.
 |
| Naeem Khan and Genevieve Barker |
Some of the lesser recognized yet highly influential fashion designers who came included Naeem Khan, Zang Toi, Tommy Hilfiger, Philipp Plein and Christian Siriano. Even rarely seen photographer Terry Richardson made an appearance. Speaking of photographers the BFA agency sent both Billy Farrell and David Prutting, the two owners and top photographers, to shoot this spectacle. David Copperfield managed to “escape” being noticed in this celebrity – studded crowd and Tiffany Trump was nowhere to be seen even though it was reported she had requested an invitation.
 |
| Eric Rutherford and Nick Bateman |
The electricity in the Plaza ballroom could have powered Florida during Hurricane Irma. Adding to this excitement was Nick Bateman, a model with 6.7 Million Instagram followers who I drool over every day. Bateman hails from Canada and is just as sexy in person as he is on the Internet, without a trace of New York arrogance. Being that he is a martial artist he said he rarely does “high fashion stuff” yet tonight he was looking very spiffy in a Hussein Dalla tuxedo. Bateman said he enjoys learning from new people and is trying to be a better listener.
 |
| Left to right: Larsen Thompson, Sabrina Carpenter and Caroline Vreeland |
I had trouble listening to him since I was distracted by his beauty and he let me in on some of his fitness secrets which include a rigorous Vegan diet comprised of quinoa and lentils. This was his first time at this party and he looked excited yet a bit overwhelmed. Another magnificent male model who attended and was my pick for Sexiest Man Alive this year was Jordan Barrett. Barrett’s facial structure and hair are breathtaking and I kept trying to position myself to view him from different angles. Having just won the Daily Front Row Male Model of the Year Award earlier in the evening he had a bevy of beauties surrounding him including Kaia Gerber and Georgia Fowler.
 |
| Irina Shayk being photobombed by Carol Alt |
Someone who wasn’t enjoying the high pressured New York celebrity scene was Paris Jackson who I heard begging her handler not to force her to do another red carpet. Scott Disick, or the “Lord” as he likes to be known, lived up to his title in an over-the-top grey pinstriped suit while accompanied by two private bodyguards.
 |
| Models Georgia Fowler and Jordan Barrett |
Disick was one of the minor celebrities in this illustrious crowd which was treated to a performance by The Weeknd – who regaled the audience with a seven-set playlist that had jaded attendees cheering in approbation. Even his girlfriend Selena Gomez was singing and dancing to his tunes which were seductive and sultry.
 |
| Frida Aasen, Di Mondo and Herieth Paul |
Some fashion standouts that are deserving of mention include Jared Leto who showed up in a jewel encrusted floral Gucci tuxedo that was an absolute ohmigod. Naeem Khan dressed Genevieve Barker in a gold jumpsuit that would have had Liberace blushing. Kim Kardashian was sparkly in a vintage Versace getup, and Candice Swanepoel left nothing to the imagination in a plunging blazer. Everywhere you looked the dresses were sheer and provocative with legs, stomachs and breasts being displayed with flagrant defiance. Even fashion star Di Mondo came pantless.
 |
| Nadine Leopold, Noel Capri and Roos Dekok |
Nicki Minaj, in typical contrarian fashion, showed up in a demure floor length rainbow colored Oscar de la Renta gown that would have been more appropriate for the Academy Awards. In fact, the fashion this evening was superior to that of the Academy Awards being that there was ample room for experimentation with no right or wrong choices and attendees with perfect physiques and access to top designers.
 |
| Peyton and Spencer List |
As the evening began to wind down, the crowd continued to mingle enthusiastically as this is one of the few opportunities during the year where the fashion community joins to toast the industry, the models, and the influencers. The night which began at 9 PM concluded at 12:30 AM with security guards being forced to eject the crowd. While this fashion week has been low on high points it is not an overstatement to call this the party of the year — and one that will not soon be forgotten.
