The proliferation of fashion bloggers notwithstanding, WWD remains the industry bible. As it should be: the glamorous yet dishy fashion trade publication has been getting the scoops and capturing the world's greatest fashion moments for 100 years. No surprise, then, that the fashion industry turned out in full force on Tuesday night for the publication's centennial fete. A star-studded line up graced Cipriani 42nd Street's red carpet, including designers Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Carolina Herrera, Diane Von Furstenberg, Vera Wang, and 2009 CFDA inductees Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen; powerhouse fashion editors Anna Wintour, Joe Zee, Glenda Bailey, and Linda Wells; those regularly featured in the WWD Eye pages like Marisa Berenson, Fabiola Beracasa, Coco Rocha, and Olivia Chantecaille; and the obligatory Gossip Girl appearance, this time by Jessica Szohr, in Erin Fetherston (who also made an appearance).
After a Marc Jacobs-clad Karen Elson commanded the crowd's attention with a Marilyn Monroe-esque version of "Happy Birthday," I caught up with some of the designers who shared what it is like to appear in the fashion paper of record. "It is like you've made it; it's official," opined Yeohlee Teng, who recently opened her flagship store in the garment district. The Nepalese-born Prabal Gurung offered a different perspective: "where I come from, there is no paper focused exclusively on fashion, so this was incredibly exciting to see," he offered, adding that WWD Editor Bridget Foley giving his first collection the cover was "life-changing."
It's also easy to take for granted the contributions WWD has made to our sartorial lexicon. The term "fashion victim," for example, was coined by John Fairchild. However, there were precious few of those at Cipriani on Tuesday night. In the center of the room, under the giant rotunda, was a vintage Jeep Wagoneer courtesy of Tommy Hilfiger, and a 9 x 11 foot mega-mural hand-crafted by John Galliano. Of course, partying is also a tradition of the fashion world, and for those looking to have a little fun, there was a water-cooler filled with "WWD 100 Proof Punch," which consisted of Belvedere Intense 100 Proof Vodka and pineapple, orange, and cranberry juices. Underneath the cooler was a sign that read "Drink the WWD Kool-Aid." Many did, naturally, and as the party wound down were gifted with a complimentary WWD 100th Anniversary issue, which chronicles the most exciting, intelligent, and outrageous fashion moments of the past century (and is currently on newsstands nationwide). Here's to the next 100 years!