At the Not-Yet-Opened American Bar, Vogue100 Hosted a Lovely Lunch for Brock Collection

Yesterday afternoon, the glamorous and exhausted gathered at New York’s hottest unopened restaurant. Vogue’s Director of Fashion Development, Allie Michler, hosted a small, illustrious group at American Bar to toast Kristopher Brock and Laura Vassar for their latest collection.

Radiant in pink Brock Collection, Michler mingled with her guests as they traded Fashion Week schedules. Attendees included Chloe Rogers, Sabrina Sade, Lauren Santo Domingo, and Vogue’s Grace Givens.

With its orange trees and emerald banquettes, American Bar—Kyle Hotchkiss Carone’s new restaurant that officially opens on February 12 but has already served several buzzy functions—transports diners to another era: the Manhattan of All About Eve and An Affair to Remember. Within the cinematic sophistication, the crowd certainly looked the part. Marion Caunter, with a cinched waist and glossy hair, appeared every bit the movie star. Shrouded in a gray trench, Ezra J. William, the socialite and restaurateur, exuded film noir mystique.

Champagne and chicken schnitzel followed potatoes topped with velvety Pointy Snout Caviar. Donning the latest collection, models circled the two tables and invited diners to touch the luxurious textiles and intricate construction that has long made Brock Collection an industry favorite.

Between courses, Michler stood up to introduce the guests of honor.

“I’ve long admired their talent and their spirit,” she said of the 2016 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund winners. “And so proud of all they accomplished.”

For all the talk of a declining New York Fashion Week, the luncheon served as a reminder of New York’s status as a fashion capital and an incubator for new talent. In the four years since its victory, Brock Collection has become a staple of American fashion. In addition to Brock Collection, the Fashion Fund program has helped propel the likes of Alexander Wang, Joseph Altuzarra, Telfar Clemens, Public School, and, most recently, Christopher John Rogers to fashion fame.

From guests’ packed agendas (Carolina Herrera before lunch, Proenza Schouler and Oscar de la Renta later that night), New York felt more vibrant than ever.