The invitation to the party in honor of CR Fashion Book #5 stipulated black-tie, so a few played it to the hilt. Riccardo Tisci donned a tux and brought along Kim Kardashian West and Ciara as his dates. “I love this man [Tisci] so much, I always make sure I am here for his show,” the singer noted, while declining to elaborate on her new album’s release date. “It’ll be ready when the music says it’s time.” Arriving with Gigi Hadid on his arm, Peter Dundas opted for a dinner jacket in sky blue. Neither Karl Lagerfeld nor Justin Bieber—who showed up flanked by a dozen would-be linebackers—bothered with the tux.
No matter. Plenty of the 300 or so guests dressed to the nines at the lavish new Peninsula hotel. After the concert by musical guest Jessie Ware, it morphed into a surprise birthday party for Carine Roitfeld, complete with torch sparklers strapped to magnums of champagne and a special cake by house pâtissier Julien Alvarez presented by K.K. West, Ciara, and Paris Hilton, who flew in to DJ. “This isn’t my first fashion party, but it’s definitely my best,” offered Ware, who sang “Happy Birthday” in addition to three songs from her upcoming album, Tough Love, due in two weeks.
“I hate [thinking about] my birthday, but this is a dream, no? I had no idea there would be a cake and everything,” declared the woman of the hour, whose real birthday landed during the Milan collections, on September 19. “Also, I’m very sad my husband isn’t here. He chose to watch the soccer match. Fortunately, Paris Saint Germain won.”
Elsewhere in Paris, in a hôtel particulier on the Quai de la Tournelle, Document magazine’s Nick Vogelson and James Valeri and artist Cédric Rivrain launched the second anniversary issue in Paris with a feast for the senses.
“I like what they do—they go out in a different direction,” said Mario Testino, who shot one of the six covers alongside an impressive lineup that included Richard Prince and Collier Schorr. This issue turned dinner guests like sound stylist Michel Gaubert and partner Ryan Aguilar into models, and Lanvin menswear designer Lucas Ossendrijver and artist Francesco Vezzoli into journalists.
Also on hand were Andre Walker, Yaz Bukey, Catherine Baba, Olivier Theyskens, Delfina Delettrez Fendi, Marc Ascoli, Martine Sitbon, Hood by Air’s Shayne Oliver along with Venus X and Leilah Weinraub, issue contributor photographer Richard Bush and stylist Sarah Richardson, and model Saskia de Brauw.
Conversations turned to recaps of fashion week, but the hottest topic was who had been lucky enough to sit for a Rivrain portrait. “He doesn’t like it if you ask,” said the as-yet-un-sketched Simon Porte Jacquemus.
“It’s not like I’m drawing the Mona Lisa!” joked Rivrain. “This is a story about friends and friends I wanted to make.”
