Chloë Sevigny, Jemima Kirke, and More Chic Cinephiles Feted Miu Miu’s Latest Women’s Tale

Last night the fashion flock took a much-needed break from the front row to pay a visit to New York’s prized Village East Cinema for the premiere of Miu Miu’s latest Women’s Tale. With caramelized popcorn and mini Champagne bottles in hand, friends of the French house, such as Jemima Kirke, Veronika Heilbrunner, and newcomer Hadley Robinson, settled into their seats as the lights went down in the grand landmarked theatre.

Directed by Malgorzata Szumowska, Nightwalk, Miu Miu’s 19th commission, follows actress Raffey Cassidy and Polish model Filip Rutkowski through the streets of Warsaw, as they shed their gendered layers (knee-high boots for her, a tracksuit for him) and in the process, find freedom. “Filip was my inspiration because... he’s very often dressing like a woman on the Polish streets, which is very brave because it’s a very conservative country,” Szumowska said during a post-screening Q&A led by Hailey Benton-Gates, who directed her own Women’s Tale just last year. “I think walking down the streets in high heels when you are genderqueer is important in Poland because you need to show that you have self-confidence and courage...” responded Rutkowski, noting that Miu Miu custom made him his own pair of size 44 stilettos for the project. “I protect them,” he added with a laugh. “They are my treasure!”

With that, the moviegoers were off, jumping into the buses lining Second Avenue to be carried to dinner. “This is very well organized for New York!” one passenger quipped upon being dropped off moments later at The Ludlow House, three floors of which had been taken over for the soirée. Upstairs, a buffet that captured the ever-quirky spirit of Miu Miu (think: watermelon radishes and oysters piled high alongside roast beef) caused a well-heeled traffic jam.

“[Miu Miu] gave money to women to make films way before people cared about female directors,” Benton-Gates said in between bites of a slider. “It’s amazing; they really find people at the beginning of their careers.” Indeed many past Women’s Tale participants were in attendance: Crystal Moselle chatted with Skate Kitchen stars Kabrina Adams and Rachelle Vinberg, while a pregnant Chloë Sevigny slipped into a pair of the house’s gingham pants for the occasion.

Of course, the night didn’t stop there—with DJ Silvia Prada’s tracks booming over the speakers, the party, now full and fortified, moved over to the dance floor, offering up a visual feast of the label’s up-to-there hemlines, ditzy prints, and towering platforms. Eventually, beds beckoned even the most notorious nightcrawlers, but everyone took heart knowing that, with Paris Fashion Week just weeks away, it wouldn’t be long until these Miu Miu muses meet again.