“When we first did our first couture Council luncheon more than 15 years ago, it was in mid October, closer to after the end of fashion month,” Steele tells PALMER. The inaugural event honored Elbaz, then the designer of Lanvin. He suggested they push the date up to before New York Fashion Week began. “We said, ‘oh, Albert, that won’t work. It’s right after Labor Day. People are barely staggering home from their summer houses.’ Alber, for all that he was such a sweet little pumpkin, also had a will of steel. He was like, ‘Oh no, this is going to be best. You’re gonna see. This is going to attract everybody.’ And of course, he was absolutely right…They were eager to get back into fashion.”
The Labor Day issue might not be a problem for American attendees, but it can sometimes pose an issue for European designers being celebrated. Luckily, this year’s man of honor, Simon Porte Jacquemus, is able to fit the event into his schedule. The Frenchman is being honored for his unique and modern way of crafting a distinctive brand image—one that extends beyond his collections to his fashion shows, Instagram, his stores, and beyond. Serendipitously, he also recently became the youngest-ever designer to become a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. “That made us feel that we were not the only ones who were thinking, this is somebody who’s really doing something quite special and different,” adds Steele.
Simon Porte Jacquemus on the runway.
As in previous years, the Luncheon raises funds for the museum’s free programing and upcoming exhibits. At this year’s event, attendees will get a first look at the museum’s upcoming show, Africa’s Fashion Diaspora, which opens September 18. The exhibit will featured 150 looks from designers around the globe, spanning the mid-20th century to the present. A symposium will follow later in the fall. “The curator, Elizabeth Way, has done amazing research over the past few years,” explains Steele. “It’s a really amazing, big show that we’re looking forward to. And it’s precisely this kind of exhibition that the Couture Council and the luncheon supports.”
The 2024 Couture Council Luncheon will take place September 4 at the David H. Koch Theater. Click here to register and purchase a ticket.