High Fashion at The Frick: Welcome to Frick Pittsburgh 2.0.
“Relevant,” “exciting” and “provocative” were just some of the buzzwords floating around as hundreds of partygoers eagerly awaited the opening of the highly anticipated Killer Heels VIP exhibition on Thursday evening in Point Breeze. “Tonight is going to be spectacular and this is only the beginning for fashion at the Frick,” said director Robin Nicholson, with wife Dianne.
Guests were greeted by drag queens in sky-high stilettos as they stopped for cocktails and conversation before heading into the nationally acclaimed exhibit. “A museum cannot be stagnant. It has to evolve. Frick Pittsburgh is doing just that in an incredibly brilliant way,” said longtime supporter Joel Bernard with wife Mia.
Guests weren’t just gushing over the shoe collection, many were wearing their own remarkable footwear. Standouts included Latasha Wilson Batch’s Rachel Roy spiked leopard print stilettos, Annie Engel’s 1970s vintage Valentino seafoam wedges, Antoinette DePasquale’s Charlotte Olympia sparklers, Dr. Lisa Cibik’s Nicholas Kirkwood platforms, Susie Perelman’s Rene Caovilla stunners and Pittsburgh-based shoe designer Emy Mack’s one-of-a-kind, Swarovski crystal-bejeweled sky-high rainbow pumps.
“These shoes were made just for tonight, inspired by the amazing collection at the Frick,” she said. “Bringing this exhibition to Pittsburgh elevates our fashion scene in so many ways.” Each stone was hand placed in suede to create the amazing pattern, and the shoes would retail for $3,900. Maybe they can find a home at the Frick after the party?
Not to be outdone, the men also brought their fashion A-game: Tim McVay and David Bush (in coordinating Dutch loafers), Steve Hough (in Italian metal studded shoes) with husband Nachum Golan (wearing furry Paul Smith boots), Dr. Bill Hoffman (who said he owns well over 100 pairs of shoes), and Henry Krakovsky, who flew to Paris to pick up his Alexander McQueen sneakers just for the occasion.
Guests were able to walk a red carpet to the carriage house, where a beautiful outdoor bar lit by a giant chandelier awaited them as servers passed trays of yummy treats. Event designer Tim Komen (in a fabulous pair of floral-printed Gucci loafers) remarked that he wanted the event to feel modern but still uphold the sophistication of the museum. “It was important that the decor reflected the artistry of the exhibit,” he said. Helping him create the vibe were white couches from All Occasions, colorful linens from Mosaic Inc., and festive floral arrangements (complete with Barbie shoes floating in the water) from Hens and Chicks. More than $100,000 was raised for the museum.
#SettingtheSEEN: Check out more amazing moments from the party with a special Setting the SEEN video. Your SEEN editor with co-host and style editor Sara Bauknecht talk to partygoers about the fashion, the footwear and, of course, the Frick. www.post-gazette.com/settingtheseen.
First Published: June 13, 2016, 4:00 a.m.
