ALL IN THE NAME OF CHARITY: Although Prada caters to stylish women, the Italian designer company showed its soft spot for children as the lead sponsor for The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s annual gala Thursday night.
Hosted by The Society of MSK’s associate committee, the gathering raised more than $600,000 including $122,600 for the the medical facility’s Pediatric Transplant and Cellular Therapy Service. Those funds are used to establish a program that helps train the next generation of transplant and cellular therapy leaders. Funding for this initiative also provides stipends to support hands-on experience in the research and clinical developments at MSK.
Thursday’s event at The Plaza hotel featured a cocktail party, dinner and dancing with music led by DJ Twilo. The quick-witted auctioneer Lydia Fenet was on hand to encourage guests to pony up some bids.
The stylish crowd included Lauren Bush Lauren and her husband David, Alexandra Lind Rose, Vera Wang’s Priya Shukla, LoveShackFancy’s Rebecca Hessel Cohen, Lela Rose’s Betsy Pepe and Bonpoint’s Meghan Klopp, among others. There were also high rollers like Spotify’s Dustee Jenkins, GeoWealth’s Yasmin Bilger and Little John’s Raphael Totoonchie. Former first daughter Chelsea Clinton was also there, with her husband, Marc Mezvinsky.
The Society of MSK’s president Muffie Potter Aston was also on hand, as was the group’s chair Austen Cruz. Dr. Andrew Harris, a pediatric hematologist and oncologist at MSK, who serves as director of MSK kids pediatric transplant and cellular therapies fellowship program, also attended.
Prada is familiar with the MSK crowd, having sponsored its annual fall luncheon and opening night of The European Fine Art Foundation New York Art Fair in the past. Representatives from the luxury company attended the gala, according to a spokesperson. However, any guests who thought they might score a Prada keepsake by buying a ticket were mistaken — attendees would have to visit Prada’s stores or website for that.
