Restoin-Roitfeld's RETNA Opening Party
dimanche 13 février 2011 
The debut of RETNA in New York City, Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld's latest collaboration with Andy Valmorbida, looked to be a wild and glamorous night in typical Roitfeld fashion. The Los Angeles graffiti artist Marquis "RETNA" Lewis' “Hallelujah World Tour” attracted an eclectic crowd for the opening and the party afterwards. The evening commenced at the 560 Washington Street gallery, packing the large warehouse space in Soho before the party moved on to Indochine. The evening was not just a social success, before the show even began more than half the works had been purchased, some priced near six figures; by mid-evening 90 percent were sold. One of RETNA's works went to a very special buyer, Vladimir donated it to the live auction held earlier this week by his mother, Carine Roitfeld's favorite charity, amfAR at their annual gala event.
The pretty people on hand to celebrate RETNA included Carine Roitfeld wearing Rick Owens, Christian Restoin, Julia Restoin-Roitfeld bright in blue Pucci lace embellished with pompoms and mirrors, Robert Konjic, David Lauren, Irina Lazareanu, Olivier Zahm, Richard Phillips, Amanda Hearst, Theodora Richards, Danny Fuller, Eddie Borgo, Brian Atwood, Brian Grazer, Stacey Bendet-Eisner, Cory Kennedy, Mark “the Cobrasnake” Hunter, Stavros Niarchos, PC Valmorbida, Mary-Kate Olsen, Byrdie Bell, Frederique van der Wal, Alexandra Richards, Nick Cohen, Lily Donaldson, Stephen Gan, Jamie Johnson, and Nur Khan.
Vladimir expressed his thoughts on the artist and the industry: "I have a fascination with street art, but I haven't only been looking for street artists. We mostly try to follow our instincts and what we like when we see the works of different artists, so of course there is going to be some continuation between them, but I think street art is becoming very big right now, and [RETNA] is one of the most talented artists I've ever seen... I wanted to give art lovers in New York a chance to see his work, and I think this is going to make a lot of noise for him. It's not only fashion — I'm trying to present him to a broad audience. We are trying to break away from the conventional gallery system. An art show attracts a very limited amount of people most of the time, they’re quite — I’ll say, boring. We’re trying to make art how it should be."
Photographs courtesy of BFAnyc.com, papermag.com, wwd.com, zimbio.com.
Vladimir Restoin-Roitfeld in Art, Fashion, New York City
Reader Comments (7)
so good that they are a close family and support each other .
Love :D
Agreed, Kate! On both counts, pretty paintings + pretty people = a good time was had by all!
Lola, I am completely in love with this dress. I thought Julia's red birthday Pucci mini was as hot as it got, this blue dress stuns me. The color literally vibrates, the cut is as sexy as can be without actually revealing much of anything. Most of all is the unique, memorable quality — it is not black, or white, or red. It is electric blue and totally becoming to Mademoiselle Restoin-Roitfeld. Did I mention the enormity of my feelings for this particular dress?
; )
she looks stupid, always seeking for the camera
instead vladimir is rising new top looks i have to say;
now yes that he does look like a nightwatcher, of course!