On the Eve of Forces of Fashion, A Very Chic Dinner With Friends of Vogue

The annual Forces of Fashion conference has taken over Vogue’s offices at One World Trade Center, where the building is teeming with FoF regalia. Editors have been hard at work for weeks planning their panel discussions, and Vogue Shopping has been busy curating a Fall Fashion Shop just for the occasion.

But in the leadup to the event, Vogue staff peeled themselves away for a very chic dinner at Le Coucou on the eve of Forces of Fashion, presented by Mercedes-Benz and John Hardy. On the guestlist? Vogue editors, Vogue100 members, VIP+ FOF ticket holders, and a very exciting group of FOF panelists.

There were designers Joseph Altuzarra, Matthieu Blazy, Reed Krakoff, Aurora James, Hillary Taymour, and Tommy Hilfiger; models Rania Benchegra, Paloma Elsesser, Sherry Shi, Mars, and Anok Yai; and more luminaries like Pat McGrath, Beanie Feldstein, AnnaSophia Robb, Jenna Lyons, Delphine Krakoff, and Athena Calderone. And given the event celebrated Forces of Fashion, the looks at dinner lived up to the name. James (who is speaking on a panel about the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, being a former finalist herself) sported a pink and black dress from a Ukrainian designer; Jenna Lyons dripped in John Hardy jewelry; and Chloe Malle (the newly anointed editor of Vogue.com, who is leading several discussions today) wore a tie-dye Alutuzrra dress in homage to the designer himself, who will be in conversation with Vogue.com’s Christian Allaire on the art of sketching.

Prompts like “Are you ready for tomorrow?” were exchanged by curious attendees who were eager for insight into the next day’s conversations. Feldstein (who is on a panel discussing her recent wedding to Bonnie-Chance Roberts) relived the highlights of her big day with her tablemates: “Getting ready together was the most special part of the day.” Malle practiced a few of her jokes to see how they’d land (superbly). And James spoke of her excitement to learn of this year’s CVFF fashion fund finalists—to be announced at the end of her Forces Panel.

Guests arrived at 6:30 PM with instructions that dinner would be served promptly at 7:30 PM, so as not to keep speakers out late the evening before the conference.

A dinner of roast leeks with toasted hazelnuts and steak filets was served across the gorgeous Roman and Williams-designed restaurant, celebrated for its French cuisine. Understated arrangements of dahlias were whisked off the table upon the arrival of a family-style first course of appetizers. As guests took their final bites of madeleines (which arrived warm and freshly showered in confectioners’ sugar), it was time to cap the night. Everyone had a big day ahead of them—these forces of fashion needed to get some rest before the main event!