Last Night’s Parties: Kenneth Cole’s Digital Getdown and Metallurgy at the Museum of Arts & Design

Lauren’s Party
Kenneth Cole is many things: activist, designer, marketing whiz. But one would never call him conservative. Or backward thinking. That’s why it’s no surprise that he’s jumped on blogger bandwagon, inviting a slew of us to view his Spring 2011 collection at the company’s showroom. (Which happens to be the former Astor stables–a gorgeous building.) The invite to the event was a Bloggie video camera, complete with a clip of Cole inviting us to “join his social network.” Pretty clever–and of course hilarious.

Along with a delicious dinner inspired by the collection–which was in turn inspired by different terrains, including the rain forest and the mountains–we got a sneak peek of the Spring 2011 clothing and accessories collections. Each guest got to order a pair of spring shoes. I chose the 9-2-5 ballet flat in army green snakeskin, although it seems most of my counterparts couldn’t part without the mesh heels in black and yes, army green. (It’s big for spring, didn’t you know?)

As for the clothes, they were classic Cole. Day to evening wear that you could easily insert into your current wardrobe. There’s a safari jacket, some beautiful skirts, a gorgeous printed dress here and there. Mostly everything was in army green, yellow, brown, and of course some black and white for good measure.

“I really think that this is really where it’s all going,” said Cole, as he made a brief speech at the beginning of dinner. We do too, Kenneth. We’re glad you’re with us.

Leah’s Party
The Museum of Arts & Design hosted their second annual young patron’s gala last night, called Metalball. Metal was the theme last night and guests clad in shimmering metallics, including co-chairs Richard Meier, Joe Manganiello, Hannelore Knuts, Waris Ahluwalia and Julie Ragolia, sipped champagne while browsing works in metal by everyone from Surface to Air to Richard Maier to Jen Kao. Kao’s silver-plated fern chandelier was amazing. Also, it was $15,000.

We were pretty taken with this metally owl in a birdcage installation which also featured a spiral staircase being mounted by gold-painted army figurines and a penguin. Again, $15,000. :( But the sky high prices were all set to raise money for the museum’s arts education program so we hope someone with deep pockets snagged these treasures.

Somehow we got stuck behind True Blood’s Joe Manganiello on a private tour of the exhibition with a cookie-cutter blonde bombshell type. They didn’t say much but seemed pretty into the art. Or he was…acting. Either way, he was as nice to look at as the art.