By Beth Greene
Me with Michael Boodro and Karen Marx from ELLE DECOR
Last week, I had the great pleasure of being invited to ELLE DECOR’s exclusive lunch honoring its annual A-List Designers. The list pays tribute to 25 top designers, plus it recognizes 5 up-and-coming design talents that have caught the magazine’s eye. To celebrate this year’s honorees, ELLE DECOR transformed the posh restaurant Modern, located within the Museum of Modern Art in New York City into an oasis of peonies overlooking the MoMA Sculpture Garden. With flash bulbs popping from the design paparazzi, the Modern provided the perfect backdrop on that beautiful summer day. While I was not definitely camera worthy at this event, I managed to have my picture taken with the likes of Thom Filicia, Jamie Drake, Michael Boodro and many more.
Jamie Drake, Thom Filicia, Ernest de la Torre, Michael Boodro
Million Dollar Decorators Jeffrey Alan Marks, Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard
A bit Design Royalty star struck I was, as the who’s who of interior design made this luncheon clearly a not to miss event! Even the members of the new Bravo show “Million Dollar Decorators” entertained us with their candid conversations and tales and perils of television production.
Old guard and new mingled in an environment that was relaxed yet filled with a fresh energy. Well known names such as Juan Montoya, Sheila Bridges, Ernest De La Torre, Kathryn Ireland and Martyn Lawrence-Bullard mingled with their peers, including Aerin Lauder, who announced earlier this year she’s starting her own lifestyle brand.
Sheila Bridges with Michael Boodro
Ray Booth, David Kleinberg, Richard Keith Langham, Michael Boodro
Aerin Lauder and Michael Boodro
Anita Sarsidi from ELLE DECOR, Thom Filicia, Ellen Levine from Hearst, Jeffrey Alan Marks
In attendance was one of my very favorite TV personalities and interior designer extraordinaire, Thom Filicia, who secured a coveted spot on this year’s A-List after a string of professional achievements, including a successful fabric collection with Kravet. Other Kravet licensors missing from the luncheon but definitely on the A-list are Alexa Hampton and Suzanne Rheinstein. And let me not forget to mention my luncheon partner, Aurelien Gallet, of course charmingly French, handsome and fresh off his two successful show house rooms at this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House and ELLE DECOR Modern Life Concept House. I hear his Hampton Designer Showhouse room, opening in July, should not be missed.
The festive celebration also marked the first official event hosted by ELLE DECOR as part of Hearst Corporation, which now owns the brand along with several other home shelter and lifestyle titles. It was an honor to be invited to dine among such an elite group, and a joy to feel the renewed spirit of our industry as we all came together to celebrate beautiful design and inspiration.
All photos courtesy of ELLE DECOR.