Michelle Harper in her unique Cavalli gown with Carlos Campos
Gianluigi & Adrienne Vittadini
On November 4th, 2011, powerhouses of high-society, fashion and entertainment gathered at the Mandarin Oriental in Manhattan for a decadent evening of cocktails, dinner and dancing at Casita MariaFiesta! 2011. Supporting the Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education, the evening was an elegant affair and nothing short of star-studded, as the red carpet played host to the likes of Adrienne and Gianluigi Vittadini, New York Socialite Michelle Harper, and Fe Fendi.
Dinner was held atop the Mandarin Oriental
With Roberto Cavalli as this year’s honoree, many of the ladies in attendance competed in paying homage to the designer, although I’m inclined to say Michelle Harper was hands-down the winner. Bill Cunningham was charming as always, camera in hand and never missing a shot (in fact, when I tried to pull out my own camera hoping to snap a photo of him in action, he beat me to the punch and took mine instead). Robert Verde and Mario Buatta played Masters of Ceremonies where the free-flowing champagne lured the guests into enough inhibition to stage their best post-dinner Latin dance moves. The one guest who wasn’t dancing? Mikhail Baryshnikov — not that one would expect the legend to Samba with amateurs. He was gracious enough to pose for a photo, however, and I can attest to the fact that his charisma is in not reserved only to his performances.
Guests hit the dance floor post-dinner
Mikhail Baryshnikov and myself
Founded in 1934, the Casita Maria Center for Arts and Education was created to provide educational support to newly arrived Hispanic children in New York. Today, the foundation provides in-school and after-school art and educational programs to New York City students, allowing them to develop their talents and learn skills they will carry for a lifetime.
For more information about the Casita Maria Center for Art and Education, visit www.casita.us