The Most Fabulous Parties of All Time
Lion cubs, private jets, and human-sized cakes
The rich and famous are more qualified than most when it comes to throwing lavish parties. Easy access to a private fortune and the best caterers, florists, and event planners around makes going all out plain sailing. Still, it takes a certain amount of genius and notoriety to pull off a truly fabulous bash. Here, CR breakdowns the most memorable and downright decadent soirées in history.
Fifty Most Beautiful People at the Factory
The calibre of guests at Andy Warhol's Fifty Most Beautiful People party is legendary—everyone from Edie Sedgwick to Judy Garland, Rudolf Nureyev, Allen Ginsberg, and Tennessee Williams was there. Held in the pop artist's fabled Midtown Manhattan Factory in 1965, guests dabbled in a heady smorgasbord of drugs and reveled until 5pm the next day.
Kenzo Takada's Studio 54 Fashion Show
Back in 1977, designer Kenzo Takada decided to reveal his latest collection at the hottest club in town. The designer tapped Jerry Hall and Pat Cleveland to model and Grace Jones to perform at his epic runway-slash-party at Studio 54 in New York.
Bianca Jagger's 30th Bash
Fashion designer Halston threw a party for Bianca Jagger's 30th birthday at Studio 54. At the time, the Nicaraguan model was married to Rolling Stones frontman, Mick Jagger. The party made news headlines after a photographer snapped the birthday girl riding around the club on a white horse led by a naked giant covered in gold glitter.
Riccardo Tisci's 40th Birthday
Riccardo Tisci flew his closest friends and family to Ibiza to celebrate his first four decades on Earth back in 2014. The star-studded soiree was held at Los Olivios horse stud farm, and was attended by Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, and Justin Bieber. Kanye West performed and Tisci blew out a single candle on a white, four-tiered birthday cake.
The Black and White Ball
Truman Capote's now iconic 1966 blowout attracted 540 members of New York's elite. The ball took place at the Plaza Hotel and attendees such as Mia Farrow, Frank Sinatra, Greta Garbo, Gloria Steinem, and Arthur Miller were asked to come dressed in black and white and wear masks. The evening began with dancing, followed by a midnight chicken dinner and was dubbed the "Party of the Century" by media of the time.
The Sultan of Brunei's 50th Birthday Party
One of the richest people in the world, Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei shelled out a cool $27 million for his 50th birthday party in 1996. A military march kicked off proceedings, followed by a polo match with Prince Charles. Invitees feasted on champagne and caviar for dinner, before being treated to a private concert by Michael Jackson.
Carine's Parisian Birthday Surprise
Stars jetted in from around the world to attend Carine's surprise birthday party in 2015. The bash for CR's editor-in-chief doubled as the launch of the magazine's fifth issue, and took place in Paris. Jessie Ware performed songs from her sophomore album and Kim Kardashian led a special rendition of "Happy Birthday," alongside Karl Lagerfeld and Selena Gomez.
House Parties at Azzedine Alaïa's
Invites to Azzedine Alaia's house for dinner were reserved for fashion's inner golden circle. The late designer would cook for a revolving number of friends like Grace Jones and Naomi Campbell throughout the week, before pulling all-nighters sewing in his atelier.
Paul Poiret's Thousand and Second Night
In 1911, French couturier Paul Poiret threw an extravagant Ali Baba-themed fashion gala to fête his latest collection. Three hundred guests were required to change into harem-inspired looks, before entering the party via an oversized golden bird cage which contained Poiret's wife, Denise, and a choir singing Persian songs.
Kris Jenner's 60th in L.A.
The Kardashian-Jenner girls planned a seriously expensive Roaring Twenties-inspired extravaganza for their mom, Kris Jenner's 60th birthday. The family's costumes channeled the Great Gatsby and guests were treated to performances by Kanye, Charlie Wilson, El DeBarge, and David Foster.
Dali's Surrealist Dinners
Lion cubs, monkeys, and frogs were de rigueur at Salvador Dali's surrealist dinner parties in the early 1940s. The artist and his wife Gala brought his bizarre visions to life in multi-sensory experiences, beginning at Hotel Del Monte in Monterey, California. Guests were served fish inside satin slippers, bushes of crayfish, and other dreamlike concoctions.
Marie-Hélène de Rothschild's Surrealist Ball
Audrey Hepburn brushed shoulders with Parisian high-society at Marie-Hélène de Rothschild's grandiose Surrealist Ball in December, 1972. Invitations were printed backwards on sky-blue card and required a mirror to be read. The no-expense-spared evening took place at Château Ferrières and ended with guests gorging on a dessert shaped to resemble a life-size naked women laying on a bed of roses.
Wang's First Fashion Week Party
Alexander Wang's party bus has become a New York Fashion Week staple, but back in 2011 the designer was still new on the scene. His first excessive rager was frat house-themed: Models, editors, and rappers drank beer from red cups and downed jello shots while Odd Future commandeered the stage.
YSL Opium Perfume Launch
Yves Saint Laurent flew in 2,000 white orchids from Hawaii for the glamorous launch of YSL Opium in 1978. The designer hosted 800 guests on an ornate Chinese boat docked at South Street Seaport in Manhattan and finished the night with a stylish firework display.
The Rock and Roll Circus
On December 11, 1968, the Rolling Stones organized an outlandish two-day reception to promote their latest album, Beggars Banquet. The band paired up with director Michael Lindsay-Hogg to create a circus-themed event inside of a marquee, complete with acrobats and clowns. Performances included the Stones, the Who, Marianne Faithfull, and Dirty Mac—a one-off supergroup consisting of John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Yoko Ono, and Jimi Hendrix's drummer.
Frank Ocean's 30th Birthday
Frank Ocean threw an opulent-looking bash for his 30th birthday earlier this year. The Grammy-winning musician's milestone event was inspired by the documentary Paris Is Burning and Vogue Ball culture. Ocean wore a skin-tight pair of silver, sequin pants for his face-off with drag queen Gia and commissioned a replica Eiffel Tower cake.
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