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subscribe to style file blog via RSSyou can’t escape fashion, not even at the u.s. open
August 26, 2008 11:51 am
Although the opening ceremonies of the U.S. Open, which took place last night at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, included a performance by Earth, Wind & Fire, a speech on the history of tennis from Forest Whitaker, an appearance from Mayor Bloomberg, and a few of the Broadway hits from the cast of “Jersey Boys,” there was one attendant in Eddie Trump’s box who couldn’t help but compare the festivities to another opening ceremony. “It’s not my fault,” First Daughter Barbara Bush, who had traveled to Beijing for the Olympics with her father, sighed. “That experience is ingrained in my mind. But those were just so out of control; these are much more intimate, and plus you go straight into the matches.” Indeed, while the Olympic festivities were hours long and you had to wait a whole day for the gold medals to start rolling out, this ceremony segued quickly into Jelena Jankovic’s defeat of Coco Vandeweghe in two sets, and James Blake’s defeat of Donald Young in an exciting five sets. Joining Bush in Trump’s box were several fashion folks, including a few of the pretty faces from Elite Model Management (which Trump owns) and Neal Hamil, the director of Elite North America; the CFDA’s Steven Colb; designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of Rag & Bone, Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai of Vena Cava, and Sari Gueron; Lydia Hearst; and Gucci Westman. While most eyes were always on the court—Trump’s box had quite the view (and a bar)—not all the conversation revolved around aces and backhands. Side discussions included dish on Trump himself (although he was rumored to be the Donald’s brother, we found out this Trump is from South Africa); whether or not Anna Wintour would stand and clap when Roger Federer was announced in the ceremony with other past U.S. Open winners (she did); and, of course, the upcoming collections. That last topic proved a dangerous one. “Great, now I have fashion guilt,” Gueron sighed. “My pattern maker is watching my dog, and I really should get back to work.” Buhai quickly felt the same way—”it’s so decadent to be here right now,” she said—and suddenly, as Rag & Bone left too, the box was designer-less.
tags: Barbara Bush, U.S. Open
