The Louis Vuitton Party
Undoubtedly, the party of the year. Tickets were rare as privileged guests were in for a night to remember.
Shrouded in secrecy until the last possible moment, the Louis Vuitton Party was nothing short of spectacular – even if it was held inside an old, damp, grey concrete hole in the ground. The Royal NZ Naval Dry Dock, a wet cavernous concrete structure built in 1888, was turned into the most glamorous party venue ever hosted in New Zealand. Louis Vuitton hosted the extravaganza in honour of the four semifinal teams in the Louis Vuitton Cup.
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| Moses parts the water - one of the legends of the sea. |
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Descending into the bowels of the dry dock, 1200 guests entered a surreal underwater world where they would pass the night away in maritime mythology. Under the haze of deep blue light with the flood gates slightly overflowing, there was a true sense of being submerged in another world.
Central to the night was a theatrical performance that caused more than a few jaws to drop. Themed around the legends and mythology of the sea, the performance was a floating tale of Icarus, Odysseus, Pasiphae, Poseidon and other characters. All the gods, demi gods and water spirits of human folklore conspired to create a truly spectacular show.
| Over 370 magnums of Moet & Chandon were consumed in three hours. |
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All important, of course, was who was at the party. Top of the A list celebs included Mary-Louise Parker and Billy Crudup. Aside from being a famous actor and Hollywood celeb, Crudup also has a sense of adventure, rising early the morning after the party to go sailing with OneWorld (which is more than can be said for many sailors who passed the morning away in shaded rooms with strong coffee and Panadol.)
From E! TV was diminutive ex Baywatch starlet, Nicole Eggert who managed to surround herself with Prada’s best looking sailors, to report on the party. Credit has to go to Bollywood superstar Sami Garawal for being one of the most beautifully dressed women at the party – her cream and gold sari was the definition of elegance and got the thumbs up from all the fashionistas, of which of course, there were many. Designers Colette Dinnigan, Trelise Cooper, Nicholas Blanchett and Karen Walker, Spanish model Martina Klein, Italian fashion editor Fabiana Giacomotti, Tatler editor Naomi Larkin and more.
From Taiwan was Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon star Chan Cheng and celebrity Niki Wu En Chi. From Hong Kong was actor Shu Qi and from Australia, TV presenter Richard Wilkins and Sir James Hardy.
Moet & Chandon was served in magnums all night – 372 of them (which equals 4464 flutes of bubbles, which if you do numbers, was 3.7 flutes per person). 240 dozen of fresh oysters slid down the throats of the 1200 guests and over 24 litres of vodka, 600 bottles of wine, 1500 bottles of beer followed.
It was a truly spectacular night – evidence that New Zealand can party as good as anywhere else in the world. And wherever the Cup goes next time, the Louis Vuitton party with all its mystery and glamour, will go too.
We, obviously, want it to stay here!
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