Girls in cages lounging in fur coats and lingerie à la Gia Carangi; a broken down, graffitied car, fresh for posing; leather; fishnets (for men and women, however you identify); cigarettes indoors; and one white (statue of a) horse: Such was the scene at last night s devil-may-care, dance-until-dawn party for Roger and **Mauricio Padilha’**s just-released tome, Gloss, celebrating the work of ’70s photographer Chris von Wangenheim. The much-buzzed-about fete (when was the last time a dress code generated such intense anticipation?) was created in the spirit of von Wangenheim’s hedonistic, of-a-moment high-glamour images, and was, of course, hosted by Marc Jacobs at seminal ’80s nightclub Tunnel. "Chris von Wangenheim got away with all of this—without apology, without anything,” recalled co-author Roger Padilha. “How can we do a party where you can smoke and you can have fun and—maybe you want to take off your clothing? The only way was with Marc.”
And this goal—to go back to a freshly decadent, go-out-to-go-all-out era and take on another self, a true self, or maybe a performative, fashion-with-a-capital F identity—was clearly relished. “I live for the photos and [von Wangenheim] defined so much of what it was to have American style in that day,” said Parisian sound engineer Michel Gaubert, as Solange, Coco Rocha, Gabrielle Union, and Vogue’s own Hamish Bowles explored the set environment in the background. A mix of Tunnel originals and new faces filled the cavernous industrial space, and vodka cocktails and champagne (not to mention plenty of dancing) were on generous hand.
A red glow left much up in the air, but even in the dark, it was easy to spot quite a bit of vintage Halston and more than one’s fair share of fringe and shine.
“When I was a kid, I moved to New York City because it was dangerous and exciting and fun, and I went into fashion because I wanted to go to parties where people dressed up,” recalled Roger. “People don’t do that anymore. So you know, with the dress code, it was like, if we don’t do that—if the fashion industry doesn’t—then who is going to? I don’t wear fashion to take a selfie; I want to wear fashion to meet cute guys and get drunk and look amazing doing it.”