Fern Mallis, the former Executive Director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, set the tone for the evening with her enthusiastic opening remarks which included, ” “A very soulful event and I’m delighted to be here!”
Adding a playful and lighthearted touch to the celebration, a quote from Kenneth Cole reminds the audience that the average woman falling in love seven times a year, with six of those instances being with shoes. Mallis’s mention of Marilyn Monroe’s famous quote, “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world,” emphasizes the empowering and transformative nature of the right pair of shoes.
Vanessa Noel, a significant contributor to the existence of the shoe museum, is recognized for spearheading its manifestation, which promises to be a valuable addition to New York City’s cultural landscape. Mallis praises Noel for showcasing that shoes are more than just accessories—they are vessels of creativity, history, and personal expression.
The event highlighted the significance of exploring the world of footwear as a unique and unexplored facet of human creativity. With New York City already being a hub for fashion and renowned museums, The Noel Shoe Museum adds a new dimension to the city’s cultural richness. The gala appears to have been a wonderful celebration of the artistry and impact of shoes on personal style and cultural history.
- Mayor Eric Adams donated a pair of his shoes.
- Bernard Adams, the mayor’s brother, brought the shoes to the stage. Bernard described the shoes as not “sexy” but emphasized their significant mileage, attesting to the mayor’s hard work for the city.
- Bernard shared a lighthearted anecdote about asking the mayor to take off his shoes at Gracie Mansion.Highlighted the mayor’s reputation as an early riser and late worker, jokingly referring to him as a “nightlife mayor.”
- Bernard Emphasized the mayor’s dedication to the city and the museum, suggesting he will be a part of its future.
- Later, Chris “Handles” Franklin, former player and current coach of the Harlem Globetrotters, along with current player Brawley “Cheese” Chisholm, presented limited edition Reebok basketball sneakers.
- Mark Breland, former American amateur boxer and Olympic gold medalist, contributed a pair of his boxing shoes.
- The exhibition featured metallic, gold Versace shoes from Danny Wegman, owner of the new Wegmans Grocery store in Astor Place.
- Hunt Slonem’s paint-covered sneakers were also on display.
- Fern Mallis showcased her lime green Manolo Blahnik heels.
- H.R.H. Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia’s custom Vans were among the diverse collection of footwear on exhibit.
Two incredible “living shoes”, created by Italian artist Johannes Stoetter, performed for the first time in the United States. Dressed in only body paint, they assumed the forms of stiletto heels. Earlier Wednesday morning, just off a plane from Vienna, they performed on Good Day New York, live from Vanessa Noel’s storefront on 64th Street and Lexington Avenue.
Gala guests included Sharon and Bernard Adams, Teri Agins, Frederick Anderson, Keiko Ono Aoki, Michael Atmore, Jeffrey Banks, Tina Beriro, Cesare Bieller, CeCe and Lee Black, Sharon Bush, Liz and Gerry Byrne, Cassandra Cass, Lady Liliana Cavendish, David Patrick Columbia, Ruthie Davis, Mike Dean, Lauren Ezerzky, Pamela Fiori, Celso Gonzalez, Anthony Haden Guest, Nikki Haskell, Leila and Henry Heller, Omar Hernandez, Arthur Houghton, Dorothea de la Houssaye, Paris Hovnanian, Elizabeth Kabler, Roy Kean, Karen Klopp, Margo Langenberg, Alfred Lasher, Franck Laverdin, Maribel Lieberman, Denise de Luca, Pamela Morgan, Miranda Morrison, Roland Nivelais, Topper Quinn, Nicole Salmasi, Jean Shafiroff, Hunt Slonem, Tracy Snyder, Caroline St George, Benny Tabatabai, Joyce Varvatos, Robert Verdi, Christopher Walling and Shoe Museum Board Members Billie Bailkin, Susan Gutfreund, Hon. Carolyn Maloney, Joe Pacetti, Jackie Tucker, H.R.H. Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia.
Pumpkins adorned with carved shoe designs served as the focal point on each table. Attendees engaged in lively rounds of bingo, vying for significant prizes. Later, they followed a fiddler down the street to OHLALA Supper Club for an exuberant after-party that had everyone hitting the dance floor.
The evening raised money and awareness for the construction of New York City’s first and only museum dedicated to shoes. More information at www.NoelShoeMuseum.org .
