In Montauk, Sarah Staudinger and Vogue’s Lisa Aiken Celebrate the Summer of Staud

Sarah Staudinger, Sarita Choudhury, Lisa Aiken

Mike Vitelli/BFA.com

Much of New York’s fashion crowd escaped to the Hamptons for Memorial Day weekend, and so did It girl brand Staud. Co-hosting with Vogue s Lisa Aiken, Sarah Staudinger kicked off the Summer of Staud with a luncheon on the patio of Monte s at Montauk Manor. The brand had much to celebrate with new boutiques: in East Hampton (with Staud Sea just across the street for shoppers in need of a curated selection of swim attire) and Nantucket, after a series of new collaborations with Keds and Business Pleasure.

“The Summer of Staud represents my favorite season of the year, both in life and fashion. It’s the season we, as a brand, identify most with. It’s optimistic, colorful, and full of adventure. It’s food, fun, sun, travel, saturated colors, and saturated drinks,” Staudinger told Vogue. “The collection was designed for women still working in the city on those hot days who want to wear something easy and chic and not too overwhelmed with colors, with the contrast waist details for easy styling, great large bags, and a wide variety of stripes to take you straight from the office to the beach.”

Given the designer s longstanding friendship with PJ Monte of Monte s Fine Foods, there was no better location to host the Memorial Day weekend fête and curate a delicious sampling of Italian treats. Guests enjoyed a modern take on traditional Italian cuisine curated by Monte s and Alimentari Flaneur, with a grazing table fit for a Mediterranean seaside fête and almost irresistible to photograph. Party-goers snacked on custom-made Staud-lettered pasta served in Monte s tomato sauce, freshly made mozzarella (mini Staud flags included), hand-cut prosciutto, and a raw bar. In addition to the bounty of passed-canapes, the get-together featured a selection of summer-inspired specialty cocktails throughout the afternoon Tanqueray London Dry Gin Tonic and Dirty Martini, Don Julio Margarita, Johnnie Walker Peach Tea, and wine from Avaline.

Among the guests were Sarita Choudhury, PJ Monte, George Augusto, Anne Verhallen, Jon Zeiders, Quinn Mora, Clelia Montali, Hannah Bronfman and Brendan Fallis, Vanessa Fuchs, Sasha and Oliver Benz, Zippy Seven, and more. After indulging in the Staud pasta, guests departed with Staud East Hampton embroidered gift bags, which included the brand s highly coveted Tommy Beaded shoulder bag.

“Opening three new retail locations in East Hampton and in Nantucket is a dream because each location represents everything the Staud brand is. I am thrilled to be able to open the new locations with the launch of our new summer ’24 collection as the collection embodies playfulness for daytime and transitions into event dressing,” Staudinger told Vogue. “We wanted the three locations to reflect the energy of summer and each of the towns, and I believe we have captured that. And I love that we kicked it off with this celebration at Monte’s!”