The Vogue/QVC Launch Party of 25 to Watch … I Was There!

The Event: The Vogue/QVC launch party of 25 to Watch

The Date: Friday, February 11, 2011

The Venue: 229 West 43rd Street, former headquarters of The New York Times

The People: Read on …

The Vogue/QVC Photo shoot is now a memory although the four of us who were chosen for the makeover and ad are in constant touch. The party is tonight and I have spent the past three days shopping. I am not alone as Rocio, Mary Martha and Christine have been doing the same thing. We send photos back and forth. “Which dress looks better?” “What about the shoes with the dress?” “Gold accessories or silver?” “Hair up or down?” “Who’s doing your hair?” We have become our very own reality show, an updated version of “Sex and the City” for the twenty tens. Our hosts are gracious and arranged a car for each of us for the evening. We have our “plus ones” on the guest list (I’m taking my daughter, Emily Riess) and we have plans to grab a pre-party drink at the lounge at the Renaissance Hotel, 714 7th Avenue.

Ready, set, go …

When Emily and I arrive at the R Lounge, Mary Martha, looking radiant in a sequined Aidan Mattox sheath dress, her hair in a chic bun, is already there with her friend Peter. It’s only been a couple of weeks since the Vogue/QVC shoot but we embrace and exclaim as if it’s been months since we were last together.  Rocio and her handsome husband, Javier, arrive shortly. She looks beautiful in a black strapless Penélope and Mónica Cruz for Mango dress with killer Jimmy Choo for H&M shoes. Christine, beautiful in a sparkly black strapless Ralph Lauren dress and Betsey Johnson shoes; and her cousin September who is gorgeous in BCBG, join us as we take over a corner of the lounge and the conversation flows.  (Btw, I’m wearing a black draped sheath by Rickie Freeman for Teri Jon, BCBG shoes and carrying a Judith Leiber minaudiere.) We talk of the Vogue/QVC shoot, the people we’ve met, parties, fashion week, designers, hair appointments and thousands of things that bond us together. It seems that as soon as we’ve toasted to the evening, it’s time to leave for the party.

My driver, Italo, is gracious and helpful as I utilize the car as my moving closet. Emily and I leave our coats and totes and make our way inside. Christine is nowhere to be found, but Rocio, Mary Martha and I see Dennis Basso who greets us warmly and asks if we’ve received the invites to his couture show. At the risk of being boring, I must reiterate that Dennis Basso is unbelievably gracious, generous, charming and handsome. He includes us in his circle, introducing us to everyone he’s with and is the consummate gentleman. He has the unique ability to make you feel as if you’re the only one in the room when he talks to you. All of his attention is focused on you.

We make our way upstairs and, there it is, the red carpet! It’s actually beige, but, you know. We watch as various fashion and beauty industry superstars strike poses. The room is electric.  And electronic. One of the first things we see is a social media station that  features several iPads showing off the QVC mobile shopping app. I want to play but so do lots of other people and I can’t get near the elegant handhelds.  I make a mental note to try again later  – and to download the QVC app as soon as I get home.

The crowd is dressed to impress and we point out the famous among us. We rub elbows with Kelly Rutherford of Gossip Girl and Camila Alves, who’s showing her Muxo line of handbags on QVC in just a few moments. I spot Mark Bouwer. Love him. I wore one of his dresses to a gala Hollywood reception when my daughter, Victoria Riess, won a Gracie Award last May and he also produces M by Marc Bouwer for QVC. I see Chaz Dean in the crowd and introduce myself. I tell him I’m a diehard fan of his product Wen and that it gave me back my high school hair. I’ve turned several friends and both of my daughters on to it too. Chaz is fabulous and introduces me to his sister and several of his models – all of whom have the most amazing hair I’ve ever seen. I’ve been using Wen exclusively since September and really have noticed a difference in the thickness, shine and texture of my hair. Plus, the

color lasts longer too. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot a familiar face. It’s Mike, our videographer who shone his ubiquitous third eye on us throughout our two-day Vogue/QVC makeover and photo shoot. We welcome his camera tonight. We catch up on how the QVC staffers we met are doing and tell him how sorry we are that they were unable to attend tonight’s event. Seriously, the four of us cannot go too long in a conversation without saying how much we adore the people we met at QVC. I’d love to see the job application form for that organization because I’d bet that personal characteristics must count for a lot.

Jamie Falkowski, QVC media and public relations, is all smiles as he approaches. He introduces us to Claire Watts, QVC’s CEO. She welcomes us warmly and makes us feel like stars as Jamie explains that we are the women chosen for the QVC/Vogue makeover and ad. (But I think she’d be just as gracious if we were merely faces in the crowd.) We also meet Doug Rose, SVP multichannel platforms, who congratulates us on our Vogue ad and is as gracious as anyone can be. I am enthralled.  If you can get a gig at QVC you’ll be working with the nicest people in any community.

The massive room with its soaring ceilings is broken up into several spaces. At one end is the step-and-repeat red carpet where partygoers pose for professional and personal photos. Of course there’s an open bar and, in the middle of the room, is a runway where models – made even more beautiful than their genetically blessed selves, by Chaz Dean and cosmetics genius Mally, who also sells her line on QVC – are strutting their stuff. Many in the crowd are transfixed by the ongoing runway show. At another end of the room is the “studio” where QVC host Lisa Robertson is doing a live broadcast. She wears a dark green, sequined Dennis Basso dress and, while all I can see is the back, she looks gorgeous. She is the height of glamour tonight as she introduces new pieces from Isaac Mizrahi. (I, unfortunately, did not get to meet Isaac who is one of my idols.)

Back among the crowd, we spot Lori Goldstein, uber stylist whose LOGO line of clothing and accessories is sold on QVC. She comes up to talk to us and is genuinely interested in learning about us and our QVC/Vogue adventure. I am in awe as I speak with her but manage to keep it together without gushing. We return to mingling and Emily says, “There’s Jill Zarin,” and we elbow our way through the crowd to speak with her. I know you’re dying to know about this Real Housewife of New York City so here we go: Jill Zarin is beautiful. I mean, really. I’ve got to learn what it is that reality stars wear on their faces. Jill glows. She is tiny and fit in her hot pink dress that’s cinched at the waist with a crystal studded skinny belt. I introduce myself and tell her that, like her, I am a fellow Long Islander from the Five Towns and that I sat with her sister, Lisa Wexler at the Gracie Awards luncheon. I also tell her about EverBeautiful.com and she invites me to the launch of Skweez Couture, her new line of shapewear. I am jazzed to keep talking to Jill but am called away for a behind-the-scenes tour of QVC.

We are whisked behind a heavy door that opens to a backstage prepping area. Hair, makeup, wardrobe … it all happens here. We get to meet Mally who is effervescent and gracious enough to pose for a few photos. We pass the green room where we are told Kim and Kourtney Kardashian are relaxing before their segment. I spot Camila Alves, who is flawless, and hear that we had just missed Matthew McConaughey.

The evening is a whirlwind. My husband, Charlie, texts me that Emily and I look great on tv. We were on tv? Cool! The Kardashians take their places with Lisa Robertson and we all make a beeline for the part of the room that is the QVC set. Before long, we are in a crowd. Everyone, it seems, wants to catch a glimpse of the Kardashians. Yes, yes, yes. They are as beautiful in person as they are on television and in photos. Yes, they wear a lot of makeup – but it looks great. Yes, Kourtney is teeny, tiny and so is Kim – and, finally, yes. Kim’s curves are worthy of their legendary reputation. One of our hosts from QVC grabs us and asks if we’d like to take a picture with the Kardashians? Are they kidding? Of course we would. We make our way backstage again and wait for the sisters to finish their set. Rocio, Christine, Mary Martha and I chat excitedly about the events of this unbelievable night as we wait. Our guests are slightly stunned by the whole thing but the unusual, unexpected and surreal are becoming commonplace for the four of us. While we have no idea who we’ll meet next, who will want to take our photos, or who will want to feature one or all of us in an upcoming venture, we are not completely surprised when something like this does indeed happen. It’s been a very bizarre and unbelievably fun ride. The K-dashes are in the room. The crowd becomes silent. We take our places as the beautiful sisters pose for a photo or two with us and then they’re gone. It’s close to midnight. The night is almost over. We say our goodbyes and thank yous, make plans to meet for brunch the following afternoon and depart for our cars.

It’s been an amazing evening. But our QVC/Vogue adventure isn’t over yet … Next up: Dennis Basso’s couture show. Stay tuned …

Read about the Vogue/QVC Photo Shoot  and how I got to be in a Vogue ad. (It’s in three parts so follow the links at the end of the first post for the complete story.)

Read about how I scored my Judith Leiber handbags here and here.