FIAF’s 4th Annual Art de Vivre Award Gala

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) presented the 4th annual Art de Vivre Award to Carine Roitfeld, Global Fashion Director of Harper’s BAZAAR and founder of CR Fashion Book on the evening of June 12th in Manhattan. FIAF’s Art de Vivre Award honors influential leaders from the world of food, wine and fashion for their outstanding contributions to the French art of living.

After the red carpet arrivals, the fabulous evening began with a cocktail reception and hors d'ouerves in Le Skyroom at FIAF on the Upper East Side. Fashionable guests who included Carol Alt, Ivan Bart, Catherine Baumann, Fabiola Beracasa, Garance Doré, Frédéric Fekkai, Shirin von Wulffen, Joelle Grunberg, Richard Johnson, Sessa Johnson; Rahul Kadakia, Ashley Kadakia; Alexandra Kerry, Aerin Lauder Zinterhofer, Eric Zinterhofer, Agathe Lerolle, Céline Mazières, Eric Mourlot, Stephanie Newhouse, Jesse Newhouse, Jordan Phillips, Jason Phillips; Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, Julia Restoin Roitfeld, Lauren Santo Domingo, Charlotte Sarkozy, David G. Tisch, Tetyana Pilyukova Tisch Alexandra Vidal and Whitney Wolf mingled and enjoyed live music.

FIAF President Marie- Monique Steckel got everyone’s attention when she introduced the beautiful Supermodel and Estée Lauder Ambassador Carolyn Murphy who introduced the honoree with whom she has had a long friendship and who has been an important mentor and role model. Visionary magazine editor, international style icon, Carine Roitfield is one of the most influential figures in fashion publishing. With her exemplary Parisian style and chic, Carine graciously received her deserved honor and a green Lalique petite Languedoc vase.

The celebration moved next door to the chic French restaurant Le Bilboquet for an elegant dinner. Everyone separated off to tables, for a choice of wines, Ladoucette Pouilly-Fume Loire Valley 2013 or Chateau des Milles Anges, Cadillac Bordeaux 2012 and the appetizer of La Burrata, grilled vegetables. Conversation and good times continue to flow while enjoying the Le Bilboquet’s famous Le Poulet Cajun.

The adorable auctioneer extraordinaire Rahul Kadakia of Christies chaired a live auction featuring the ultimate wine and champagne package of Piper- Heidsieck and Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou and the Lalique 100 Point Collection, 2 VIP passes to Marc Jacobs NYFW 2017 show, 2 VIP seats at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture show and a private dinner for ten at the Place Vendome salon, the ultimate VIP Haute Couture Escapade to Paris with Air France business class tickets, 4 nights at the 5 star Narcisse Blanc Hotel and Spa with Museum des Arts Decoratifs and Palais Galleria museum tours and lunch with curators and “Les Papillons”, a rare Fernand Leger lithograph. Le Bibloquet’s Phillipe Delgrange generously added magnums of champagne to a black Tom Ford weekender being auctioned.

A decadent dessert of La Mousse au Chocolat with fresh berries was served. The happy party ended with the guests taking the latest copy of CR Fashion Book featuring cover model Paris Jackson.

Thanks to generous sponsor Hearst and the commitment of the 2017 Art de Vivre Event committee members James G. Brooks, Jr., Markus Maximilian Buchmeier, Cecile and Charles de Lardemelle, Alexandra Kerry and Julien Dobbs-Higginson,Stephanie Binder-Elbaz and Benjamin Elbaz, Shirin and Frederic Fekkai, Martha Flores Longoria andJérôme Lhote, Agathe Lerolle and Lorenzo Marcelli Flori, Eric Mourlot, Stephanie and Jesse Newhouse, Jordan and Jason Phillips, Marie-Noëlle and John Pierce, Leah Pisar-Haas, Erica Millar andRussell Riccardi, Lauren Santo Domingo, Kristin Simmons, Amelia and Mortimer Singer, Tetyana Pilyukova Tisch and David G. Tisch, Alexandra Vidal and Jose Maria Trullols, Cedric Turk, Marisa andRobin van Bokhorst, Clémence and William von Mueffling, Lisa and David Wolf everyone enjoyed an amazing evening.

The evening’s proceeds benefitted the nonprofit French Institute Alliance Francaise, one of the largest and foremost presenters of French cultural programming. FIAF is home to dedicated French and Francophile programming year round; the foremost French Language school, all French library, film screenings, literary and arts events, live performances of music, theater and dance nourishing and enriching the diverse culture of New York City.