It was art imitating life—and life, of course, dressed in designer—as guests ascended the Whitney Museum for its annual Gala, held atop Manhattan’s shimmering West Side. The evening marked more than just a celebration of the institution’s 10-year anniversary in the Renzo Piano–designed building: it was a reunion of artists, collectors, patrons, and power-dressers who’ve long championed the museum’s bold, contemporary vision. As twilight fell over the Hudson, so too did a stylish spell over the proceedings.
There were thought-provoking speeches from the honorees—chairman Richard M. DeMartini, artist Amy Sherald, and legendary curator Barbara Haskell. An array of notables—Michelle Monaghan, Leslie Bibb, Laura Harrier, Andie MacDowell, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Kathy Hilton, Claire Danes, and more—artfully intermingled in the museum s grandiose halls. But perhaps one of the real forces that brought the museum to life was the anniversary edition of Max Mara s Whitney bag.
Back in 2015, Max Mara unveiled the Whitney Bag, an iconic piece created in collaboration with the Renzo Piano Building Workshop to mark the inauguration of the new Whitney Museum of American Art in Manhattan s Meatpacking District. What began as a limited edition bag quickly became a highly sought-after accessory for women around the world. “It s a unique piece to be honest. It s a bag like no other on the market, and that makes us very proud, as well as the idea of representing [the Whitney s] architectural design and blending that with the spirit of Max Mara s brand aesthetic,” Maria Giulia Maramotti, Max Mara Fashion Group Board Member and third generation of the Maramotti family, tells Vogue. And indeed, the bag quite literally animates the Whitney through its ribbed design, which mimics the museum s facade.
With a sweeping art gallery as its backdrop, the Gala ensued, as the cocktail hour featuring LALO tequila margaritas and generous pours of wine turned into a seated dinner, followed by a 90s throwback performance by girl group TLC. Dessert bites and a DJ served as a nightcap to the evening, as guests filed out through the museum doors.
“These 10 years flew by—literally. It feels like yesterday when we were here in this exact same room for the opening night of the Whitney Museum with Renzo Piano and Elisabetta Trezzani. It was a partnership that was born out of love and the identity of visions between two brands,” Maramotti says. “The museum was founded by a remarkable woman who wanted to sponsor artists, which is pretty much the same idea that, as a family and brand, we ve always had. It was a kindred relationship.”
