Buon Compleanno! 10 Corso Como Celebrates 1 Year in New York With a Cocktail Party

On Saturday night, 10 Corso Como celebrated its first anniversary in New York. The cocktail party saluted the exceptional vision and foresight of Carla Sozzani.

In 1991, Sozzani, after years in publishing, opened 10 Corso Como in Milan. Dedicated to highlighting the work of young designers, the shop, a stark contrast from the sterile department stores that existed, provided a unique atmosphere that fused fashion with culture. “10 Corso Como was all about experience,” Sozzani said in her soft voice. “That’s very popular now, but it was not then.”

In September 2018, Sozzani launched a New York location. The past year demonstrated the tremendous success and endurance of the concept. Although the South Street Seaport is not known for being an epicenter of luxury, the store’s unusual location recalls the manner in which Jeffrey revolutionized the Meatpacking District 20 years ago. Light infuses the enormous space, the dimensions of which would be close to impossible to get in Soho or on Madison Avenue. The floor plan, divided more like a small museum than a traditional boutique, allows for separate corners for curation and installation.

With her delicate features and bright blue eyes, the former editor, at 72, commands a powerful presence. When asked her thoughts on the party, Sozzani, in a white embellished top, scanned the room: “I’m nervous.”

Her anxiety was hardly warranted. An energetic and glittering crowd filled the enormous space. On an evening crowded with cocktail parties, everyone made time to swing by the store to show support, admire the clothes, and examine the art.

For the anniversary, Sara Maino, Sozzani’s daughter, selected five very different brands to highlight—the combination creates a portrait of contemporary Italian fashion and its notable influence on a global scale. Among the mix is Act N°1, a label that fuses Chinese and Italian craftsmanship, and Coliac by Martina Grasselli, which offers architectural, menswear-inspired clothes as well as a better known collection of flamboyant footwear. There’s also Nico Giani, whose vivid, geometric bags stand out in even the most colorful of crowds; Sunnei, a ready-to-wear and accessories label with impeccable craftsmanship; and perhaps the most avant-garde of the brands, Vivetta, which references high culture in witty and poetic ways.

“It’s all about talent,” said Maino.

The large exhibition space displayed the works of Tony Viramontes, a prolific illustrator and artist. The striking images, selected by Dean Rhys Morgan, reflect an incredible foresight, and although Viramontes’s name remains fairly obscure, his influence is without question.

“Carla knew of his work,” Morgan explained as he admired the bright lines before him. “Though he had such a short life, he was prolific.”

In 1988, at age 31, Viramontes died from complications due to AIDs, and despite his passing being widely noted at the time, the artist has since faded from cultural memory. Sozzani and Maino remain dedicated to highlighting talent, in every medium, even that which can be easily forgotten or overlooked.