Fashion, Diplomacy, and Dancing Come Together for Charity at the 67th Viennese Opera Ball

On Friday night the annual 67th Viennese Opera Ball returned to NYC where socialites and tastemakers from the NYC fashion scene as well as the Austrian community in NYC and some special musical guests came together to celebrate the 67th year of this special tradition as well as raise money for Gabriel's Angels Foundation a cancer charity founded by Denise Rich. The Austrian Ambassador to the US Dr. Scheenbauer also attended as well as several other members from the Austrian delegation including Peter Hanke the Executive City Councillor for Vienna. Other notable guests included Nicole Miller NYC fashion designer, Sasha Prendas pop singer, and Jean Shafiroff who co-chaired the gala with Denise Rich.

 The night also featured a special treat for guests with performances from Met Opera stars Stephen Costello, Joyce El-Khoury, and Nathalie Pena Comas. Stephen Costello performed his solo from La Boheme which he stars in at the Met Opera and then the trio performed an amazing song together.

 Afterwards guests enjoyed a live auction to raise money for Gabriel's Angels and and then ballroom dancing started.

A beautiful choreography to the Carmen Quadrille by Eduard Strauss was designed for the opening performance of the debutantes and escorts by Vienna Dance School Svabek, headed by Sandra Stockmayer and Roman Svabek. Later guests participated in a group lesson of the midnight Quadrille and then the live orchestra played waltz music “A Night inspired by ‘Carmen’”, from the opera Carmen by Bizet led under the artistic direction of Daniel Serafin with Austrian conductor, Maestro Vinicius Kattah until the afterparty where guests enjoyed traditional Austrian treats and more dancing! 

The event brought together fashion and diplomacy to highlight the strong ties between the two cities of NYC and Vienna and guests got to experience much cultural exchange during the galmourous affair. Everyone came dressed in their most fashionable formal eveningwear as the dress code was white tie. Many guests opted for fun accessories such as elbow length gloves, capes, and even tiaras. Sequins, and princess dress cuts were definitely trending. Both Austrian and New York design influences and tastemakers came together on the red carpet Friday night when designer Nicole Miller wore a dress she designed herself and Austrian fashion designer Carolin Sinemus also attended in a fabulous outfit inspired by Austrian design influences. 

The night ended with a great DJ and afterparty as well as a champagne toast to another successful Viennese Opera Ball. 

Trends from Press Day in NYC: Sustainable fashion, Italian design, and more!

 I headed over to a Press Day at an NYC showroom today to discover the latest from a few up and coming designers in NYC in addition to some Italian brands. I loved finding new and unique products as well as getting a sneak peak at the upcoming trends for this season. Press day is great because unlike a fashion show you can take your time to see the items up close and browse the collection. 

At the showroom in downtown I entered and immediately saw the collection from one of my favorite brands Deity New York. Designer Renee Bishop creates sleek feminine silhouettes in fun flirty colors. You can read more about her last NYFW show that I attended here. I loved seeing the collection up close and got to see some of the couture pieces she had created like a beaded coat that weighed over 40 pounds! The spring collection was full of delicate patterns and neon accents which will definitely be a big trend for spring. 

Next, I discovered a new brand that specializes in genderless clothing. Rinat Brodach was featured on Amazon's Making the Cut and designs clothing in her Brooklyn New York studio. Her latest collection which I got to view was also focused on sustainability and she worked with hand dyed fabrics from a scrap house in Brooklyn to create unique one of a kind pieces. The upcycled clothes had a worn in feel to them and tons of interesting pattern combinations. Genderless clothing is also a growing trend in fashion and is something more and more designers are experimenting with as the need for inclusivity in the fashion industry grows. 

Frederick Anderson was another one of my favorite collections that I saw during NYFW this past season. I loved getting to learn more about his "garden party" collection he presented this season. The spring collection was full of elegant crochets, floral appliques, and pops of color. The designer also collaborated with artists from Peru to create unique fabrics and weaves while supporting local craftsmanship. 

For accessories I fell in love with Italian brand Il Bisonte which uses scraps of leather from animals used for food purposes instead of creating any new waste. The brand is focused on simplicity and sustainability highlighting the artisanal work in their Tuscan based studio. The leather bags are made with extremely high quality and come in unique shapes and colors. I loved this fuchsia bag that matched my outfit! These bags are made to last and also make a statement with their artistic shapes and designs. 

Finally for footwear I discovered this amazing brand, Respoke handcrafted footwear. They create original one of a kind pieces from re-used Hermes scarves. Each pair of shoes or sandals is unique and colorful and I believe it is the ultimate statement piece for anybody who enjoys luxury and vintage items. 

This press day was definitely a success and I am loving my new pair of pink sunglasses from Marchon which are the perfect accessory for BarbieCore another trend I predict will continue in 2023.