Valentino Garavani should seriously consider a second career as a party planner. Since hanging up his needle and thread two years ago, he's traversed the globe hosting fêtes, most recently for the DVD release of The Last Emperor. And he was back at it again last night at the Standard Hotel, in the space formerly known as the Boom Boom Room. Arriving on the arms of Daphne Guinness and Giancarlo Giammetti, the bespoke-besuited fashion icon commandeered a cluster of booths for friends like Larry Gagosian, Princess Gloria von Thurn and Taxis, Marc Jacobs, and Hugh Jackman. The evening's entertainment? Jesus Luz in the DJ booth—and the promise of a Madonna sighting.
"People have been waiting for centuries for Jesus," Charlotte Sarkozy joked. "But I think we'll be waiting even longer for the Madonna." She was right: Luz duly took over the decks at around 11 p.m., swapping the club's typical Top 40 fare for a mash-up of techno beats. It was about an hour into his set that his lady love finally materialized on the dance floor, grinding on whichever gentleman came to pay his respects and, at a certain point, even Valentino himself. After a few spins, the designer took a seat and evaluated his special guests: "Not a bad DJ, and not a bad dancer. It's a good couple." Some might even say divine.