ALEXANDER WANG-A HAPPY DESIGNER
-SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOBILE GAS STATION with Courtney Love, Santigold, DJ Ruckus and MODELS
!4th Street and the West Side Highway---
September 13th, 2009
WORDS, IMAGES JUDITH ECOCHARD
So it’s been asked by those in the know…is Alexander Wang the new Marc Jacobs. Well we can say that LVMH was certainly in the house, errr gas station last Saturday night…as Belvedere Vodka and Veuve Clicquot champagne (the French conglomerate’s brands)--- were more than overflowing.
As in---- chugging bottles.
This was a MASSIVE party.
The convenience store’s junk food --- FREE! That’s right boxes of Wheat Thins, packets of Pop Tarts, Cups of Noodles, bags of Planters, gum, candy etc…up for grabbing.
And water and fresh fruit was available, after all this was Fashion Week.
The fridges were adorned with sponsor Belvedere Vodka images and packed with goodies, like beer…
The crowd ate/drank it all.
Vogue's Sr. Fashion Market Editor Meredith Melling Burke Never Needs Photoshop-great smile!
One huge counter inside was a bar serving mixed drinks---with a generous pour...even the bartenders got wide-eyed at the "keep going" requests. Ah, the beauty of being able to hail a cab home.
Guests entered on 15th Street…where the exit of the car wash had an oversized screen with Alexander Wang’s well received football themed RTW S/S 2010 show.
And outside other bars ran the entire length of one side---and never stopped pouring the bubbly.
We got there early enough for the sound check by the terrific hip hop artist Santigold ---she sounded like MIA to us in a way. The staff was boppin’...and we made a note to check out SANTIGOLD
Then, after a short break we heard a string of profanities by the next “musician” and looked up to see Courtney Love and her guitarist. We figure the strummin’ dude is very mellow.
Ms. Love was having probs with the sound at the soundcheck (two thumbs up hero, Sean)…an outdoor venue that's really a gas station right off the West Side Highway duh, we thought...it sounded okay to us...no feedback.
"Betty Davis Eyes" was an apt song choice…a PA was writing down the words. (Love opened with "Malibu"…a great song).
The crowds came in around 10: 30-11, started drinkin’ and smokin’ (despite teeny tiny “No Smoking” signs run off some computer printer…and tapped up to a wall…
... and a pleading announcement from the owner/manager(?) of the station.
And yes, the only thing more scary concerning than Courtney Love’s voice, at times- was the number of humans puffin’ away at a GAS STATION. Sure, the pumps were turned off (emptied) but the smell of gasoline was around...yikes.
Alexander Wang was all smiles…greeting, hugging and celebrating. YES!
DJ RUCKUS was rockin' amazing…everyone was dancing everywhere. REALLY Good Job.
We hope the station major domo and employees had a great time.
DEVON
AOKI
... even up all day/night models without makeup look incredible.Quelle surprise!!!!!. As do actresses like Mischa Barton -the best thing about CW11's The Beautiful Life. Welcome to the Big Apple...we last saw Ms. B in Berlin during the S/S 2009 shows--- wearing LaLa Berlin...a big name over there..
PRETTY PINK KICKERS
THE ONE FINGERED SALUTE (actually we like this guy)
FYI: the gas station was open for business the next day BRIGHT AND EARLY. Unlike the attendees.
CALM BEFORE THE STORM
CALM AFTER THE STORM