Vanessa Traina in vintage Balmain and a Prada turban
Photo By Drew Altizer
"I can't wait for the Allegra Hicks bandwagon to leave New York," joked Ghislaine Maxwell as she prepared for another round of festivities on Wednesday in honor of the British designer. The night after her own party welcoming Hicks to these shores, Maxwell was only too happy to hand the hostess reins over to Rena Sindi, who feted the official opening of Hicks' store with a dinner for 80 at Swifty's.
As the crowd flooded into the miniscule restaurant, guests such as Renée Rockefeller, Lillian von Stauffenberg, Jennifer Creel, "Namesake" actress Zuleikha Robinson and Eva Lorenzotti tried to stay upright. "I just want a drink," sighed Alex Kramer as she tried in vain to get to the bar, while Sindi ran around tirelessly rearranging the table seatings.
The famed party-giver (Sindi's book is called "Be My Guest," after all) was only in town for two days to support Hicks. Had she been meticulously planning this evening?
"I whipped it together in two weeks!" she boasted. The creation of Hicks' store (whose size was as Lilliputian as Swifty's) was a much more complicated task.
"Of course I like it — I designed it!" said her husband, Ashley Hicks. And, while the restaurant was a veritable Sea World, Hicks-style, with tables draped in her fabrics and coral centerpieces evoking her oceanic themes, not everyone was able to show off her clothes.
"It's Miu Miu," said Gigi Mortimer of her multicolored top. "I thought it looked kind of like Allegra Hicks. I tried to wear one of her dresses, but it was too summery and see-through."
Good thing she went with the top: When Sindi ushered people to their seats, Mortimer was forced to climb over the table and onto the banquette just to reach hers. New lovebirds Tory Burch and Lance Armstrong flitted in late and refused to pose for pictures together. After a dinner of salmon, steak and chocolate soufflé, the bandwagon trundled on as many guests turned Swifty's into an impromptu dance club.
As the crowd flooded into the miniscule restaurant, guests such as Renée Rockefeller, Lillian von Stauffenberg, Jennifer Creel, "Namesake" actress Zuleikha Robinson and Eva Lorenzotti tried to stay upright. "I just want a drink," sighed Alex Kramer as she tried in vain to get to the bar, while Sindi ran around tirelessly rearranging the table seatings.
The famed party-giver (Sindi's book is called "Be My Guest," after all) was only in town for two days to support Hicks. Had she been meticulously planning this evening?
"I whipped it together in two weeks!" she boasted. The creation of Hicks' store (whose size was as Lilliputian as Swifty's) was a much more complicated task.
"Of course I like it — I designed it!" said her husband, Ashley Hicks. And, while the restaurant was a veritable Sea World, Hicks-style, with tables draped in her fabrics and coral centerpieces evoking her oceanic themes, not everyone was able to show off her clothes.
"It's Miu Miu," said Gigi Mortimer of her multicolored top. "I thought it looked kind of like Allegra Hicks. I tried to wear one of her dresses, but it was too summery and see-through."
Good thing she went with the top: When Sindi ushered people to their seats, Mortimer was forced to climb over the table and onto the banquette just to reach hers. New lovebirds Tory Burch and Lance Armstrong flitted in late and refused to pose for pictures together. After a dinner of salmon, steak and chocolate soufflé, the bandwagon trundled on as many guests turned Swifty's into an impromptu dance club.
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