It's Sweater Weather! Stars Cozied Up in Cashmere for Dinner with Loro Piana and Bergdorf Goodman

Katie HolmesMarc Patrick/BFA.com

The Bergdorf Goodman window displays are always a sight to marvel at. For the past century, they ve stopped foot traffic as they showcase fantastical vignettes of glitz and engineering alongside designer wares. On Friday onlookers noticed that a charming troupe of wooden puppets, swathed in tiny cashmere vests, seem to have moved in.

In both the men’s and women’s stores, a Loro Piana art deco-infused installation of an assembly line—a fanciful interpretation of the brand’s supply chain—can be seen on both the East and West corners of Fifth Avenue and 59th Street. The premise depicts the origin of the scarves, sweaters, and jackets that are now synonymous with the zeitgeist-y term ‘quiet luxury.’ The window scene shows a flock of fluffy sheep making their way from the hills of Italy s Piemonte region, all the way to the big smoke where they are readying to dress New Yorkers for the chilly months ahead.

The arrival of the Loro Piana sheep was celebrated over cocktails in the rotunda of the men’s store on Friday. Welcomed by the evening s hosts, Loro Piana CEO Frédéric Arnault and Bergdorf Goodman president Tracy Margolies, partygoers quickly became shoppers too.

“I am a legacy person here,” Bergdorf Goodman s doyenne and fashion director Linda Fargo, told Vogue with a laugh. “I’ve been here for over 25 years, which I think means I’m a bit of an expert on how the store presents itself. In all those years, I ve never seen it look this extraordinary. We ve never executed windows like this. We ve never projected this level of artistry across the facade of the building. With the cabs coming down Fifth Avenue, and the beginning of fall, it really looks like a New York moment or maybe a New York version of Cinema Paradiso.”

Yes, in addition to the windows and a selection of limited edition, customizable Loro Piana pieces, a striking video artwork projected across the front of the women’s storefront also debuted on Friday—with the same puppets and sheep having their moment in the spotlight. Taking it all in, Keri Russell, Georgina Bloomberg, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach could be found outside watching it while huddled for warmth, before traipsing across the street to the BG Restaurant.

The dining room, always the go-to for Upper East Siders who worship at the altar of quiet luxury, had been cocooned in Loro Piana s signature cozy shades of beige, chestnut, and maroon. In lieu of traditional place cards, guests found their seats thanks to small linen parcels adorned with a name tag. Inside, the present was filed with cashmere fibers, which many quickly unpacked to touch and caress—call it a luxe interpretation of a fidget toy or stress ball.

“The world of Loro Piana always reminds me of Italy and the attention to detail and craftsmanship and intelligent dressing, and you feel that when you’re wearing it,” Katie Holmes told Vogue before taking her seat to enjoy an appropriately Italian-influenced meal, of which the parmesan risotto was the undisputed crowd favorite. “I’ll be wearing lots of it for the holidays, when I’m at home cooking for friends and doing all of the Christmas things; the Rockettes and ice skating in Central Park. It’s the best time on year in New York.”

Loro Piana at Bergdorf Goodman is on display from today until November 3.