As noted in the past: It is a truth widely held, that ladies who lunch are wont to shop. And so a fashion show to benefit the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation has become an annual luncheon event. The options for lavish spending were displayed at Andrea Stark’s penthouse apartment last Wednesday, featuring models wearing Carolina Herrera’s dresses currently available in her Madison Avenue boutique. While the designer was not present, her right hand man Rudy was, with Emily Rubenfeld, president of Carolina Herrera. For guilt free spending, the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation benefits from a portion of the sales. The doctor’s wife Marion was particularly pleased with this effort in helping the foundation grow in its efforts to fund researchers worldwide. And William T. Sullivan, the newly appointed Executive Director, assured everyone, the doctor, a consummate practitioner, was where he’s needed most, working.

Carolina Herrera is one of my favorite designers because her clothes are eminently wearable. I love the art of Rei Kawakubo now featured at the Met’s Costume Institute’s exhibition, but I’d be hard pressed to imagine much of her sculptural designs on women rather than mannequins, even though the sales at Dover Street Market suggest otherwise. Not so with Carolina Herrera, who ultimately understands what women want most: A black Chantilly lace gown, a sangria leather dress with V-neck, Herrera’s signature white cotton shirt with lace on the sleeves, embroidered frocks, sequins that look like polka dots, lots of grosgrain detail, and her classic shirtwaist in a butterfly print. 

Regina Weinreich

Graphic Design: Salpeter Ventura