In advance of its 15-year anniversary, Fashion 4 Development held the “Ambassador Summer Circle” reception at The Pierre Tuesday night.
Cohosted by the Taj Hotel-opened property, the event aimed to encapsulate fashion, diplomacy and cultural richness. The gathering, which featured a mini fashion show for two Ukrainian eveningwear designers, was also meant to celebrate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
First adopted in September 2015, the UNSDGs are a call to action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy health, justice and prosperity. U.N. ambassadors from 42 nations were among the approximately 190 guests at the cocktail party. The event was also designed to highlight F4D’s nearly 15-year connection to the U.N. Welcoming the crowd, F4D’s founder Evie Evangelou credited Ban-Ki Moon, the eighth secretary general of the United Nations, for “being the one who saw the vision in 2011 and said, ‘Yes, let’s bring fashion to the U.N.”
This fall Skira will publish “F4D: An Empowering Journey,” that will trace the organization’s journey. There are also plans for a second book, “Global Runway,” that is being written by the same author, Stephanie Dillon, and will also be published by Skira at the end of 2026 or at the beginning of 2027, Evangelou said.
Many guests at the summer circle mingled around the circular table in the center of The Pierre’s Cotillion Room, which was laden with Mediterranean canapés and hors d’oeuvres. To relay an Amalfi Coast-inspired feel, boughs of lemon tree branches sprang from the centerpiece, and bowls of lemons adorned the table. Several attendees sought out the longtime correspondent at the U.N., Gloria Starr Kins, a nonagenarian who is editor in chief and publisher of Society & Diplomatic Review. She said that she helped with the guest list, having invited at least 50 people.
The setting of the Upper East Side hotel was appropriate, considering that The Pierre is where F4D has hosted its annual “First Ladies Luncheon” on multiple occasions. After taking a reprieve and holding the F4D luncheon at the event space 583 Park Avenue for a few years, the organization will be welcoming guests there again at this fall’s 13th annual event. Evangelou said she had initially chosen the hotel because of its unmatched elegance. As in the past, the September gathering will be held during the U.N.’s General Assembly.
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Attendees who had never been to one of F4D’s “First Ladies Luncheon” learned how each year the designs of a different culture or several cultures are featured in its global runway fashion show. Evangelou also informed guests how each gathering salutes “Agents of Change,” who are honored for their groundbreaking work. Iman, Naomi Campbell and the late Franca Sozzani are among the honorees that F4D has recognized.
Looking ahead, Evangelou said she aims to gather 100 nations through a runway show, an art book, and a series of documentaries “to bring together the beauty of each, the preservation and the techniques of the cultures, and the international language of fashion.”
As cohost of the Ambassador Summer Circle, The Pierre’s general manager Spiridon Sarantopoulos clued in the crowd to another anniversary — the Upper East Side hotel will turn 95 in November. Thanking the crowd for braving Tuesday night’s sultry temperatures, he said, “But this is an Amalfi night. It feels like summer in southern Europe. It could be Italy, the south of France, Spain or Greece.”
Evangelou noted how Coco Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino, Andy Warhol and various heads of state have been welcomed to The Pierre. “This is a jewel in New York City. That is why we host our First Ladies Luncheon here whether that be first ladies, royals and first spouses now, because of the number of heads of state being women. That’s kind of cool, right?” she said.
The Lions Management’s chief executive officer Julia Kisla Taylor introduced the fashion presentation, which featured designs by J’Amemme and Paskal. The Kyiv-based J’Amemme “is about self-love” that encourages wearers to embrace who they are, Kisha Taylor said. Meanwhile, Paskal “transforms structure into healing” with leitmotifs like a butterfly wing or flower petal evoking emotions like joy and hope, Kisla Taylor said. “The hope of these designers remind us that creativity is an inherent human trait, and that even in the hardest of times, you can create beauty and share it with the world.”
Kisla Taylor, who will cohost F4D’s First Ladies Luncheon, said a Ukrainian fashion show will be part of that. Just last week she introduced eight Ukrainian designers to some key players in New York’s fashion scene. The creatives all live, work and produce their ready-to-wear and eveningwear lines in Ukraine. Not a merchandising or sales trip, the idea was to give the group the chance to learn about the U.S. fashion market. While some take part in Paris Fashion Week and London Fashion Week, Kisla Taylor said, “America is very different when it comes to fashion.”
The designers visited the offices of Michael Kors, Carolina Herrera, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nicole Miller, Calvin Klein, the Fashion Institute of Technology, LIM, Condé Nast, and New York magazine’s The Cut. “They went to see brands, institutions and editors. And there were a couple of events to compare notes with marketing and PR people and to ask relevant questions like, ‘What do you look for in a brand that is not American?’” Kisla Taylor said.
The Ukrainian creatives paid for their air travel and hotel accommodations, and The Lions Management covered the other expenses. Born and raised in Ukraine, Kisla Taylor said she has been Stateside for 30 years. Now an American, she said the male members of her family are mobilized in Ukraine’s efforts to combat Russian forces, as the war there is in its third year. Her mother and aunt have relocated to the U.S. due to the war. But once the fighting stops, she said she plans to return.
