Reunited and It Feels So Good

"It's like we're all waking up from our summer vacations," said Ryan McNamara . "We're back from New Mexico, we're back from the Hamptons, and we all look cute and tan—they really make us hit the ground running!" Style.com spotted the performance artist at the closing night festivities for Rachel Feinstein 's Madison Square Park sculpture exhibition Folly, one of the first events in what is sure to be a party-crazed NYFW. ("Shit won't look good by the end of the week," McNamara joked.) The bash, held at the cavernous NeueHouse, included a rather epic performance Feinstein created for the sculptures' final hours. "I was watching people in the park walking on the sculptures, letting their kids play on them and doing selfies, and I thought, This is so much cooler than when they're just sitting by themselves!" she said. "The Last Days of Folly" featured contributions from Sofia Coppola (who also designed a special wine can for the party), Jarvis Cocker, Narciso Rodriguez, Giles Deacon, and a host of other creatives. "It was like a dream," Feinstein said.



Farther downtown at Mr. Chow's, Jennifer Fisher celebrated her Madison Avenue flagship opening. "It's been so many years and I've worked so hard to get here," Fisher said, "and now to have a space where people can shop daily—it's an incredible feeling." The crowd included friends and supporters, like Leandra Medine, Hilary Rhoda , and cohost Joan Smalls . "What Jennifer does is so beautiful," said the model. "The way she designs is so edgy but feminine. I'm just here to celebrate her talent!" A block away, at the penthouse of The Greenwich Hotel, Joie's Serge Azria threw a relaxed dinner of Locanda Verde-prepared English pea soup, crispy polenta, and lamb meatballs for the likes of Kate Young , Josephine Skriver , and Garance Doré. "It's all family around here," said Jessica Hart from the room's tree-covered terrace.

—Ashley Simpson

Meet Bill

This isn't Mayor Bill de Blasio 's first New York fashion week in office, but we'll let last season's lack of participation slip. The man had only been sworn in just a few weeks prior. Now, eight months into his tenure, the mayor has had a bit more time to strategize a vision, enlist allies, and execute a plan—and it's an ambitious one. Last night, fashion's heavy hitters were summoned to Yorkville for a cocktail party at Gracie Mansion officially kicking off the week's festivities and announcing three new initiatives out of City Hall: a NYC Capsule Collection to help local designers produce and sell locally; an expanded "Made in NYC" branding program; and the first two Fashion Production Fund awards given to Karolina Zmarlak and Rosie Assoulin.



Part of the fun was getting to snoop around Gracie Mansion. Fashion rarely heads so far uptown, let alone to the mayor's home, so the night nearly felt like a group field trip. "There's lawn bowling out on the lawn!" said Tanya Taylor, "and I think the mayor is meeting in a back room with some important people." Rebecca Minkoff was equally thrilled: "I mean, we go to parties all the time, but as soon as I started walking up the steps here, it just hit me: I've got to get it together, this is Gracie."



Having worked with two mayors in City Hall now, the CFDA's Steven Kolb had only good things to say about De Blasio. "In this regard the two men [De Blasio and Michael Bloomberg] have more similarities than differences. Both are extremely eager to work with us and understand that fashion is really a central part of this city's economy and identity." No kidding—Kolb pointed out that fashion employs 180,000 New Yorkers. "I think the fact that we are kicking the week off at Gracie Mansion says a lot about [De Blasio's] enthusiasm," Kolb added.



Perhaps the most enthusiastic guest last night was Chiara de Blasio , who, in the face of a fashion emergency (her father shared that she was unable to find a suitable lipstick for the occasion), decided to mix her own cerulean lipstick at home. As for the mayor himself, his fashion emergencies are of a much more ordinary nature. He told Style.com: "I have a habit of stopping at whatever deli or bodega looks interesting, then hopping back in the car on the phone. A few ties and shirts have suffered along the way…food of all nations plus the phone plus driving is probably not the smartest thing."

—Todd Plummer

The Gang's All Here

It was fashion central at Cherche Midi last night, where Trademark's Pookie and Louisa Burch were celebrating their first-ever store with a post-opening dinner for 100. In one corner Ashley Olsen , in another Olivier Theyskens , and sprinkled among the tables at Keith McNally's new hot spot, other members of the Burch clan, including papa Christopher , former stepmom Tory , and sister Izzie. Burch père interrupted dinner to make a speech: "I'm fortunate enough to be Pookie and Louisa's partner, and I mean that like this [makes finger quotes], which means, 'Dad, we grew up with you and Mom, we know what we're doing, please stay away.'" Big round of applause.

—Nicole Phelps

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