115 Ways to Scream ‘Status’
Photo: Slim Aarons/Getty Images
Status has never been strictly about money. Think of Lily Bart’s initial distaste for wealthy Simon Rosedale, whose deep-pocketed “smart London clothes” couldn’t change his last name into something acceptable for the social register. It’s a truth that’s both democratic and not: Status is often acquired without cash, which can make it even more difficult to possess. It’s a secret handshake, whether in the form of the fresh jonquils and candied cherries of Wharton’s era or the ramp capers that locavore chefs clamor for today. And in a sense, those totems have become more secretive than ever. Perhaps as a reaction to our new age of relentless peacocking — to all the posting with fabulous geo-tags and just-right accoutrements at the outside edges of the frame — people have gotten more subtle at signifying social standing in ways that the lay observer wouldn’t be able to decode.
Part of the allure of the status symbol is that it’s out there for all to see but meant to be understood, perhaps, by a far smaller crowd: your own crowd. When a goth raver puts on her black Manic Panic lipstick, she’s doing so to impress her friends, or people she hopes to be friends with someday — the ones who know and care that Manic Panic lipstick is the only lipstick to wear and that you have to schlep to the basement of Trash and Vaudeville on St. Marks to get it. When Williamsburg Guy slowly rolls down Bedford Avenue in his vintage-mobile, he’s keenly aware that his fellow Williamsburg Guy neighbors are going to be super-jealous. Even in this era of widening inequality, the ultimate aim is to be — to however small a degree — the envy of your peer group, whether you’re an oligarch or a Pratt student.
In an attempt to get them to explain what may pass right in front of our eyes yet remain unseen, we went straight to the members of many such tribes — mathematicians, Goldman Sachs VPs, cactus collectors, chefs, oboists — and asked them to single out their status symbols. The increasingly fine distinctions that emerge require a novelist’s eye for detail, but once you’re attuned to them, you can look at a stranger on the subway and experience the deep pleasure of recognition without having to clear any social hurdles at all.
—Essay by Noreen Malone
And for Some Perspective: Status in New York Magazines Past
1975: The Elsa Peretti t-shirt
“Here we have the status joke of the summer — Elsa Peretti’s stuff painted on a T ($14), front only, but then status is up front, isn’t it?
1980: Laoshan water
“The latest status water is Laoshan; $1 a bottle in the Delicacies Department.”
1983: Dripping draperies
“Arrivistes, beware …One revealing slip of the tongue — calling draperies ‘drapes,’ for instance — and it could be curtains.”
1995: The Volvo station wagon
“Spiritual descendant of the VW Bug, it cries out against the soullessness of our rapacious hypermotorized culture.”
Reporting by Jason Chen, Belle Cushing, Nate Freeman, Wendy Goodman, Véronique Hyland, Crystal Martin, Rebecca Milzoff, Seth Porges, Robin Raisfeld, Trupti Rami, Margaret Rhodes, Alex Ronan, Kayleen Schaefer, Katy Schneider, Lauren Schwartzberg, Erica Schwiegershausen, Jessica Silvester, Raven Snook, Joshua David Stein, Alexis Swerdloff, and Sierra Tishgart
*This article appears in the September 21, 2015 issue of New York Magazine.
The $1,000 Socks for Oligarchs What appear to be ordinary brown socks are actually made of pure wool from the vicuña, a protected ancestor...
The $1,000 Socks for Oligarchs What appear to be ordinary brown socks are actually made of pure wool from the vicuña, a protected ancestor of the alpaca that lives high in the Andes and may be sheared only very rarely. To get the socks, you have to make an appointment at the Upper East Side townhouse shop VK Nagrani.
—Lauren Schwartzberg Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
The Car for Hipsters With Country Houses An Early-’80s Diesel Mercedes
“These cars were always a big deal among auto nerds. They are the apex of...
The Car for Hipsters With Country Houses An Early-’80s Diesel Mercedes
“These cars were always a big deal among auto nerds. They are the apex of beautiful indestructible machines, the apex of German engineering. I started noticing them in Williamsburg about three or four years ago. I would say, ‘Oh, there’s another one.’ And when I realized that their engines last literally forever, I immediately got a 1983 300D Turbo Diesel. These days, I see one at least once a day in my neighborhood. It’s kind of like anything else that gets gobbled up by retro-loving hipsters; people think, It’ll look great with my surfboard on the roof. It’s the same reason that these heritage menswear brands are exploding. They’re cool-looking, they’re well made, and there’s a good story. That said, these cars are really vulnerable to rust, and so I recently sold mine — the next big thing are Jeep Wagoneers.”
—Gref Stefano, director and producer Photo: Courtesy of Greg Stefano/Cool Hunting
The Stroller for Cobble Hill Parents The Uppababy Vista
According to moms on the Bococa Parents Yahoo group.
“The ‘in’ stroller right now is de...
The Stroller for Cobble Hill Parents The Uppababy Vista
According to moms on the Bococa Parents Yahoo group.
“The ‘in’ stroller right now is definitely the Uppababy Vista, for sure.”
“Uppababy Vista!!”
“I would say the Uppababy Vista.”
“I think it’s still the Uppababy Vista.” Photo: Joe McKendry
The Mattress for People With Chambermaids Beckley
“Beckleys are made of horsehair, and they last — especially if the chambermaids turn the mattr...
The Mattress for People With Chambermaids Beckley
“Beckleys are made of horsehair, and they last — especially if the chambermaids turn the mattresses weekly as they should.”
—Howard Slatkin, interior designer Photo: Joe McKendry
The Totems for Architects Clockwise, from bottom left:
A Ted Muehling Necklace: “They’re coveted among my colleagues — people who want to be con...
The Totems for Architects Clockwise, from bottom left:
A Ted Muehling Necklace: “They’re coveted among my colleagues — people who want to be considered to have a high level of sophistication.” —Susannah Drake, DLANDstudio
Shwood Glasses: “Wooden frames represent this return to natural representations, the perception of authenticity.” —Amir Shahrokhi, SHoP Architects
An Issey Miyake Bao Bao Bag: “It’s highly structured with articulated joints; intuitively attractive for female architects.” —Hayes Slade, Slade Architecture
An Olfa Blade: “Carrying one implies that you’re fabricating the projects yourself; you’re embedded in the whole process start to finish.” —Aleksey Lukyanov-Cherny, SITU Studio Photo: Courtesy of Everett Collection/Courtesy of the vendors
The Chalk for Math Professors Hagoromo Fulltouch
“We started to find little bits of it years ago, discarded ends,” says Joel David Hamkins, a pr...
The Chalk for Math Professors Hagoromo Fulltouch
“We started to find little bits of it years ago, discarded ends,” says Joel David Hamkins, a professor of graduate-level mathematics and philosophy at CUNY. “We gathered as many as we could and finally made out the name, Hagoromo. We realized that a Japanese visitor had been leaving behind the leftovers.” It wasn’t available in the U.S., and shipping costs were exorbitant. But in 2010, Robert S. Landsman, assistant program officer for CUNY’s Ph.D. program in mathematics, sent out a jubilant email to faculty: A Japanese student had returned with Hagoromo for the staff. “Finally our prayers have been answered,” he wrote. The limited supply was divvied up based on teaching load. “Faculty should save this chalk for use only during their most important lectures or when working on their most important theorems,” he cautioned. The chalk was later sold Stateside, but then, last year, tragedy: word that Hagoromo was going out of business. Hamkins — like others — has stockpiled the stuff. “The smooth texture flows so easily across the chalkboard, like a fountain pen,” he says. “One puts up mathematics on the chalkboard as if tracing an idea out in the air.”
—Alex Ronan
The Suit for Rock Stars Kyosuke Kunimoto
“The clover lapels, the vintage fabrics, the slightly flared trousers — these are not mainstream suits....
The Suit for Rock Stars Kyosuke Kunimoto
“The clover lapels, the vintage fabrics, the slightly flared trousers — these are not mainstream suits. And you have to go all the way to Tokyo to have them made.”
—Rita Zebdi, Frank Ocean’s stylist
Left: Mark Ronson wearing a suit by Kunimoto. Photo: Philippe Kliot
The Bowling Ball for Division Titleists Storm Crux
“Regular bowlers who want to be like the pros are now using the Crux. It’s the inside-core co...
The Bowling Ball for Division Titleists Storm Crux
“Regular bowlers who want to be like the pros are now using the Crux. It’s the inside-core construction that’s important.”
—Dino Chang, owner of Dino’s Pro Shop in Astoria Photo: Courtesy of Storm Products; Inc.
The Bag for Museum Curators Obscure and European
“They have to be issued by a European library or research institute, like the Villa i Tatti, He...
The Bag for Museum Curators Obscure and European
“They have to be issued by a European library or research institute, like the Villa i Tatti, Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel, or a small museum, like the Fondation Custodia, and I would say the text really can’t be in English.”
—A curator who prefers his name not be in English either Photo: Courtesy of Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbuttel
The Coffee-Table Books for Art-World Types Copies of Lapham’s Quarterly; the “Raymond Pettibon: Surfers 1985–2015” catalogue; Dorotheum catalogue...
The Coffee-Table Books for Art-World Types Copies of Lapham’s Quarterly; the “Raymond Pettibon: Surfers 1985–2015” catalogue; Dorotheum catalogues; the “Yayoi Kusama: I Who Have Arrived in Heaven” catalogue. —On the coffee table of David and Monica Zwirner, art dealer and co-founder of accessories brand MZ Wallace
A View From the Bridge, by Arthur Miller; Edie: An American Biography, by Jean Stein, edited with George Plimpton; the “Richard Prince: Fashion 1982–84” catalogue; the “Jonas Wood: Paintings and Drawings” catalogue. —On the coffee table of Bill Powers, art dealer, and Cynthia Rowley, fashion designer
The Book of Genesis, by R. Crumb; Chinati: The Vision of Donald Judd, by Marianne Stockebrand; Andy Warhol: “Giant” Size. —On the coffee table of Alexandra Chemla, founder and CEO, ArtBinder Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
The Weed for
High Times Editors Chem Dog
“If you smoke it, you’ll understand why it’s held in such reverence: It has a citrusy flavor and a rea...
The Weed for
High Times Editors Chem Dog
“If you smoke it, you’ll understand why it’s held in such reverence: It has a citrusy flavor and a real depth to the high. There’s no ceiling. If you keep smoking, you keep getting higher. It’s super-rare, because it’s hand-trimmed and has to be grown, harvested, and dried in smaller quantities. You have to know and trust your grower. I’d stick with the East Coast.”
—Danny Danko, senior cultivation editor at High Times
*An earlier version of this slide misspelled Danny Danko's name. We regret this error. Photo: Brian Jahn/Courtesy of High Times
The Watches for Goldman Sachs From left:
For associates: Rolex
“After your first bonus.”
And for VPs: Patek Philippe
“At this stage, es...
The Watches for Goldman Sachs From left:
For associates: Rolex
“After your first bonus.”
And for VPs: Patek Philippe
“At this stage, especially if a guy’s done time in a European office, it’s slim watches by Patek Philippe or Cartier.”
And for the CEO: Swatch
“Lloyd Blankfein wears one. And you see other high-level guys wearing them; they have nothing left to prove.”
—A former Goldman Sachs trader Photo: Courtesy of the vendors
The Black Lipstick for Goths Manic Panic
“It’s trendy now to have a makeup line with goth colors, like the one by Kat Von D. But Manic Panic lip...
The Black Lipstick for Goths Manic Panic
“It’s trendy now to have a makeup line with goth colors, like the one by Kat Von D. But Manic Panic lipstick is one of those secrets of the streets; you can find it downstairs at Trash and Vaudeville right by the cash register. All of my friends from GHE20G0TH1K wear it.”
—Venus X, DJ and founder of the party GHE20G0TH1K Photo: Bobby Doherty/New York Magazine
The Leather Jacket for Leather Daddies The Columbia
“The Columbia jacket, from Langlitz Leathers in Portland, is very heavy-looking and shiny, s...
The Leather Jacket for Leather Daddies The Columbia
“The Columbia jacket, from Langlitz Leathers in Portland, is very heavy-looking and shiny, so everyone knows when you have one. They start at $1,100, and they’re really only for going to leather events like Folsom Street East. It’s all word-of-mouth.”
—Jon Fulton, longtime leatherman Photo: Courtesy of Langlitz Leather
The Couch for One57 Dwellers Built On-site
“It’s a real status move to have your designer dream up a couch that fits the room so precisely that ...
The Couch for One57 Dwellers Built On-site
“It’s a real status move to have your designer dream up a couch that fits the room so precisely that it has to be custom built in the living room itself over several days.”
—Interior designer with tax-sheltered clients Photo: Joe McKendry
The Acrylic Nail for Flatbush Cliques The Coffin
“I started seeing a lot of girls in this neighborhood wear this style of nail called the Coffin...
The Acrylic Nail for Flatbush Cliques The Coffin
“I started seeing a lot of girls in this neighborhood wear this style of nail called the Coffin, which is a square shape but slimmer than usual, sexy but not too sexy, so I started getting it too. My friends and I don’t do nail art; we like simple. We wore Coffins in nude colors and pinks for the summer, and we’ll start switching to deep reds and purple in the fall.”
—Renea Scott, 23, client at Barry’s Beauty Bar in Flatbush Photo: Sophynails/Instagram
The Dog for Tribeca Triplex Owners Huge
Consider the Tribeca Great Dane: three feet tall, 200 pounds, sturdy and solid as a Citi Bike, visible f...
The Dog for Tribeca Triplex Owners Huge
Consider the Tribeca Great Dane: three feet tall, 200 pounds, sturdy and solid as a Citi Bike, visible from an avenue away. To see a dog of this size — whether Dane or mastiff or Bernese mountain dog — is to all but see the apartment it lives in: square feet in the quadruple digits, outdoor space, maybe the keys to the Rhinebeck house nestled in an Alessi vide-poche. We might not know that dog’s name, but we do know everything there is to know about the woman on the other end of that leash — not her personality or likes or dislikes or hopes or dreams, but whether she lives in a private-keyed elevator loft. Such dogs cannot be returned in the morning, nor can they be lent to a friend. They’re not just a sign of wealth, they’re a sign of stability. And whereas, say, a pair of fur-lined Gucci loafers reek of called-in favors and wait lists, a dog the weight of two Gucci PR assistants reeks of … well, dog. It’s an “It” accessory above tackiness, beyond reproach, impervious to changing trends. The Duane Street Dane eats those fur-lined loafers for breakfast.
—Juli Weiner, writer, Last Week Tonight Photo: Getty Images/Istockphoto
The
Casa Mia for Bensonhurst Newlyweds A Detached House
“Ask any young couple here — the dream is to own a detached house. The one I grew up in...
The
Casa Mia for Bensonhurst Newlyweds A Detached House
“Ask any young couple here — the dream is to own a detached house. The one I grew up in shares a wall with a doctor’s office.”
—Rossella Rago, host of the web series Cooking With Nonna
The Oboe Reed for Oboists Loree
“You’ll see a lot of oboists using cane from China, which isn’t always aged properly. Top oboists make their ree...
The Oboe Reed for Oboists Loree
“You’ll see a lot of oboists using cane from China, which isn’t always aged properly. Top oboists make their reed from Loree cane, which comes from the south of France. The breeze off the water gives it a special vibration. There’s a richness to this cane that’s very juicy.”
—Liang Wang, principal oboist, New York Philharmonic
The Ingredient for Locavore Chefs Ramp Capers
“They are really only good for around a week and a half, so serving them showcases a chef’s relati...
The Ingredient for Locavore Chefs Ramp Capers
“They are really only good for around a week and a half, so serving them showcases a chef’s relationship with the farmers. Anyone can buy truffles if they have enough money.”
—José Ramírez-Ruiz and Pamela Yung of Semilla
The Throat Balm for Broadway Actors Grether’s Pastilles
“When someone pulls a tin out of their bag, there is a 75 percent chance that they are i...
The Throat Balm for Broadway Actors Grether’s Pastilles
“When someone pulls a tin out of their bag, there is a 75 percent chance that they are involved in the theater. They are like magic beans for your vocal cords. You can buy them at fancy places, and when they’re running low you tend to hoard them.”
—Annaleigh Ashford, actress
The Accessories for Pratt Co-eds Pins, Patches, Charms
“Small accessories — pins, patches, necklaces — are a way people try to be individual in ...
The Accessories for Pratt Co-eds Pins, Patches, Charms
“Small accessories — pins, patches, necklaces — are a way people try to be individual in our school. I have a Lucky Strike pin that was made for me by another student. We made the pins in class using a machine meant for actual classwork, then made a bunch of other pins for fun on our own.” —Ophelia Sniffen
“I move the Lucky Strike pin that Ophelia and I made to every jacket I wear. And I have this patch from the movie Alien. I’m kind of a movie and sci-fi geek. I wear it on the left arm of my Carhartt jacket.” —Dan Castranova
“One pin I like a lot is this big one-inch button with a picture of Sarah Palin giving a thumbs-up. On top it says, ‘America, Fuck Yeah!’ ” —Sophia Nearhood
“I have a jacket that’s covered in cartoon-character patches. I also wear a bunch of handmade charms and necklaces made from classic toys, like chains with Etch A Sketches and Lego on them.” —Caleb Shelton
“I have this patch that’s a portrait of a friend with the tag ‘Hot Babes’ on it. It’s mostly an inside joke. My friend made it after our silkscreen final with a silkscreen and photo-emulsion stencil.” —Jared Diaz
“Last year, I made a bunch of pins that were stills of Tim Curry’s face in Home Alone 2. We have this hand machine in the communications-design lab, and once our teacher showed us how to use it, everyone went pin crazy. When everyone saw that pins were being homemade, they started asking where they could get them. But only the communications-design students had access to the machine.” —Robert Brackett
The Seats for Those Who Want to Be Seen … At the Game Section 7, Row AA, First Few Seats
At Barclays Center. Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/2014 NBA...
The Seats for Those Who Want to Be Seen … At the Game Section 7, Row AA, First Few Seats
At Barclays Center. Photo: Nathaniel S. Butler/2014 NBAE
The Seats for Those Who Want to Be Seen … At Restaurants The Back Nook at Estela: President Obama, when he dined here, sat at the large tabl...
The Seats for Those Who Want to Be Seen … At Restaurants The Back Nook at Estela: President Obama, when he dined here, sat at the large table in the back nook by the kitchen.
The Side Nook at Polo Bar: Big shots sit in one of two side nooks, off the center of the room, where there are good views and some privacy. The far ends of the room: Siberia.
The Seats for Those Who Want to Be Seen … At SoulCycle Bikes 23 and 15 at Stevie’s Wednesday-Night Noho Class
A.k.a. “the Dueling Banjo seats.” ...
The Seats for Those Who Want to Be Seen … At SoulCycle Bikes 23 and 15 at Stevie’s Wednesday-Night Noho Class
A.k.a. “the Dueling Banjo seats.” According to avid cycler Sydney Friedman, “Getting these are impossible. When a song with a heavy beat comes on, with these two bikes looking right at each other from across the room, it gets competitive.”
And the Seats for Those Who Want to Stay Home Far left: The Chandigarh Armchair by Pierre Jeanneret
“In the ’50s, Pierre Jeanneret and his cousi...
And the Seats for Those Who Want to Stay Home Far left: The Chandigarh Armchair by Pierre Jeanneret
“In the ’50s, Pierre Jeanneret and his cousin Le Corbusier created the capital city Chandigarh from the ground up. They were responsible for every single object. Recently, the Chandigarh Armchair has fetched high prices at Christie’s auctions, and I’ve sold them to clients like Kourtney Kardashian, who seems to be following Kanye’s fondness for all things Chandigarh.” —Patrick Parrish, owner of the eponymous design gallery
But in the ... late 1600s: A turned armchair
“We think this chair belonged Jacobus Strijker. A family of their stature would probably have one of these chairs, for the head of the household.” —Alyce Perry Englund, assistant curator of American Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
... 1780s: A Rococo Chippendale–style armchair
“Among the upper class, tea parties were all the rage in the late 1700s. This armchair was part of a larger set that sat in the parlor of a Wall Street home, which was the most coveted neighborhood at the time.” —Englund
... 1810: A Duncan Phyfe side chair
“Phyfe’s status was such that elites would visit his workshop to check on the timeline of their pieces and be kept waiting for hours before being told that Phyfe was too busy and to try again tomorrow. The next day, he’d simply say, ‘Your furniture will be ready when it’s ready.’ ” —Carswell Berlin, antique dealer
... 1960s: An Eames lounge and ottoman
“Sure, there were more expensive chairs but in the 1960s, this was the chair to own if you wanted to be known as someone with good taste.” —Frank Daley, furniture dealer
... 1980s: A Robert Venturi “Chippendale” chair for Knoll
“I remember walking into a loft designed by Robert A.M. Stern and thinking, What is that?! They were in the lobby of the Lipstick Building, in Wall Street boardrooms, in lots of apartments. I am sure a lot of people privately thought they were hideous, but the status of having an artistically driven piece won out.” —Jim Walrod, interior designer Photo: Joe McKendry
The Totems for Vintage Hounds Set of Six Magazines: “Six, Comme des Garçons’ free magazine, was given out to customers from 1988 to 1...
The Totems for Vintage Hounds Set of Six Magazines: “Six, Comme des Garçons’ free magazine, was given out to customers from 1988 to 1991. Collectors don’t often want to part with them, making the full set a kind of badge of honor for hard-core Rei [Kawakubo] fans.” —David Owen, co-founder of Idea Books
Polo Ralph Lauren Snow Beach Jacket: “Worn by Raekwon in the 1994 ‘Can It Be All So Simple’ video, it’s a piece that brings up a nostalgia for a time when it was still dangerous to walk the streets of New York dressed well. Its rarity — Ralph Lauren never rereleased it — plays into the hype, with jackets going for thousands of dollars when they show up on eBay.” —Dallas Penn, Polo collector
’90s Memorial Tees: “Featuring Aaliyah, Kurt Cobain, Notorious B.I.G., and other deceased rappers and musicians. This shirt was a very popular limited-quantity run produced right after Cobain’s death in 1994 — and arguably the most sought-after from that era.” —Brian Procell, owner of the Procell shop on the Lower East Side
The Natural Wine for Young Sommeliers Arbois Pupillin by Maison Pierre Overnoy
“A few years ago, this wine was very hard to sell. Now restaurate...
The Natural Wine for Young Sommeliers Arbois Pupillin by Maison Pierre Overnoy
“A few years ago, this wine was very hard to sell. Now restaurateurs are begging for even two bottles. Because wine from the Jura has become popular with young sommeliers, and the label is easily identifiable, Instagramming it shows you’re in the cool kids’ club.”
—Justin Chearno, wine consultant for the Four Horsemen
The Private Plane for Media Barons The G650
“They have a three-year wait list, they start at $65 million, and that’s before you go to town custo...
The Private Plane for Media Barons The G650
“They have a three-year wait list, they start at $65 million, and that’s before you go to town customizing them. These are for people who love design. They are the Apple Hermès watch of planes.”
—Ken Fulk, home and plane decorator
The Kimchee Refrigerator for Bergen County Koreans The Dimchae
“They’ve only been available in the U.S. for a short time, and the freestanding v...
The Kimchee Refrigerator for Bergen County Koreans The Dimchae
“They’ve only been available in the U.S. for a short time, and the freestanding version, which has three separate compartments for storing kimchee, is the best. Ideally, you get one in addition to your regular fridge. It says that you have room in your house for two full-size refrigerators.”
—Hooni Kim, chef at Danji
The Totems for High Schoolers Dalton: Free City Sweatpants
“Girls will wear them around finals. It kind of has that ‘I just rolled out of bed’ l...
The Totems for High Schoolers Dalton: Free City Sweatpants
“Girls will wear them around finals. It kind of has that ‘I just rolled out of bed’ look, but these pants cost like $150.” —Aria Dasbach, senior
The Beacon School: Not Wearing a Bra
“It’s a way for feminists here to show they don’t care what anyone thinks of them.” —Alma Bradley, junior
Fieldston: Cartier Love Bracelets
“Kids are more reluctant to be showy at school, so you see these bracelets more on Instagram, or when people go out. You’ll see a lot of girls making a point to make the bracelet visible on Instagram.” —Sarah Hirschfield, senior
La Guardia School of the Arts: Yumiko Leotards
“Everyone wants these — they make your figure look longer and the fabric feels nice, and they are really expensive.” —Xenia Nelson, class of 2015
Bronx Science: Black Iced Coffee
“People are always talking about coffee. It’s a way to show you’re sleep deprived and that you stayed up late working.” —Emily Komarow, senior
The Totems for Grade Schoolers Central Park East II: A Limited-Edition Shopkin
“Limited editions like the Apple Blossom are special. Swiss Miss ...
The Totems for Grade Schoolers Central Park East II: A Limited-Edition Shopkin
“Limited editions like the Apple Blossom are special. Swiss Miss is more common; she’s a cheese, and I’m sort of meh to her.” —Fiona, third-grader
Churchill School and Center: Far Cry 4 for PS4
“I play that game with Owen and Sean, who are the most popular kids in the school.” —Will, sixth-grader
The Grill for Chefs Grillworks
“All the hot chefs who use wood-fired grills have a custom Grillworks grill by Ben Eisendrath: George Mendes, Sea...
The Grill for Chefs Grillworks
“All the hot chefs who use wood-fired grills have a custom Grillworks grill by Ben Eisendrath: George Mendes, Seamus Mullen, Marc Murphy. Using a wood-fired grill in a restaurant is even more of a status symbol because it means you have the permit to do so, which is about as rare as a key to Gramercy Park.”
—Josh Capon, chef and partner, Lure Fishbar, Bowery Meat Co., El Toro Blanco Photo: Joe McKendry
The Grillz for Stars Dolly Cohen
“You can tell a Dolly Cohen grill because of the art behind it; she started the movement of only having one gol...
The Grillz for Stars Dolly Cohen
“You can tell a Dolly Cohen grill because of the art behind it; she started the movement of only having one gold piece in between the two front teeth. It’s actually not that difficult to track her down — you can find her email address online — but she just won’t respond if she’s not into it.”
—Ian Isiah, Hood by Air ambassador
Clockwise: Rihanna, Rita Ora, M.I.A., Cara Delevingne
The Swag Bag for Fashion Editors A Jeremy Scott x Longchamp Weekender
“It shows you’re important enough to sit front row at a Jeremy Scott show ...
The Swag Bag for Fashion Editors A Jeremy Scott x Longchamp Weekender
“It shows you’re important enough to sit front row at a Jeremy Scott show — they’re only given out to people in those seats, and they don’t go on sale for another six months. They always have a print from the collection he shows that day, so you’re a season ahead of everyone else.”
—Noah Johnson, Details’ fashion features editor
The Destinations for Derek Blasberg Thirty-five places Vanity Fair’s newly appointed Man on the Street geo-tagged on Instagram over the past six ...
The Destinations for Derek Blasberg Thirty-five places Vanity Fair’s newly appointed Man on the Street geo-tagged on Instagram over the past six months.
From top left: Burning Man, Bondi Beach, St. Barts
Burning Man • Four Seasons, Beverly Hills • Chateau Marmont • The Broad Museum • The Peninsula Beverly Hills • Sunset Tower Hotel • Briermere Farms • Affton, Missouri (his home state) • Dollywood • Blackberry Farm, Tennessee • Southampton • Il San Pietro di Positano hotel • The Berkshires • Kensington Palace Garden • Wimbledon Tennis Club • Hotel Le Bristol • Caviar Kaspia • Gardens of the Musée Rodin • Palais Brongniart • The Surf Lodge • Austin • Garage Museum, Moscow • Le Sereno, St. Barts • Colombier Beach, St. Barts • Four Seasons, Florence • Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc • Cannes • Palais Bulles de Pierre Cardin • Palm Springs • Sunset Tower Hotel • Las Vegas • Scarsdale Golf Club • Icebergs, Bondi Beach, Sydney • Villa Bonaparte • Rome
The Totems for Central Park Conservancy Committee Members Clockwise, from top left:
Van Cleef Alhambra Earrings: “The designs are all nature-ori...
The Totems for Central Park Conservancy Committee Members Clockwise, from top left:
Van Cleef Alhambra Earrings: “The designs are all nature-oriented; the ladies love that.”
Estée Lauder Moisturizer: “Evelyn was on our board, so it would always appear in goody bags and such.”
Havanese Dog: “Small, but they have a big-dog personality.”
Lexus SUV: “You’re up higher, so you get to see everything. It’s not too fancy, and it’s reliable.”
Chanel Tweed Jacket: “Always.”
Tiffany’s Stationery: “With just the name up top and the address on the envelope.”
—Gillian Miniter, former president and current member of the Women’s Committee of the Central Park Conservancy
The Bat/Bar Mitzvah Venue for Rich Kids The Mandarin Oriental, or the Pierre, or the Plaza.
“People say they want offbeat places now, but the fa...
The Bat/Bar Mitzvah Venue for Rich Kids The Mandarin Oriental, or the Pierre, or the Plaza.
“People say they want offbeat places now, but the fact is these hotels will transform into anything you want, whether it’s an enchanted garden or a basketball arena.”
But in the … 1980s: Maxim’s
“Maxim’s was very French. New York had not seen anything like this. It was always packed. You had to book your bar mitzvah there way, way in advance.”
… 1990s: The Rainbow Room
“So Old World, so spectacular. It is gorgeous, fabulous, wonderful. I did a ton of bar mitzvahs there.”
… 2000s: Cipriani Club 55
“We did a Moroccan bat mitzvah there. We had a real camel out front. I swear. These people. You can’t make this stuff up.”
—Party planner Harriette Rose Katz
Primi Pomodori The Canned Tomatoes for Dyker Heights Nonnas: Sclafani ($2.29 a can)
“The nonnas in the neighborhood buy cases at a time of Sclaf...
Primi Pomodori The Canned Tomatoes for Dyker Heights Nonnas: Sclafani ($2.29 a can)
“The nonnas in the neighborhood buy cases at a time of Sclafani tomatoes — whole peeled and crushed, for making Sunday red sauce, not meat sauce. They get very angry if they’re out of stock; I always keep a few extra cases on reserve in the basement.” —Nick Pesce, co-owner of La Bella Marketplace
The Canned Tomatoes for Italian Chefs: Il Miracolo di San Gennaro ($14 a can*)
“It’s like the difference between fresh-made pasta and Ronzoni. They’re not available at most stores, so you have to know about them. Gustiamo is the only distributor for them, which makes them precious like a small gem.” —Edoardo Mantelli, chef-owner of Saraghina
*An earlier version of this slide misstated the price of Il Miracolo di San Gennaro. The price is $14 a can, not $10.
The Totems for Hunter-Pony Riders Clockwise, from top left:
The Monogram: “From Personally Preppy; on your helmet, boots, spur straps.”
The Far...
The Totems for Hunter-Pony Riders Clockwise, from top left:
The Monogram: “From Personally Preppy; on your helmet, boots, spur straps.”
The Farm: “Heritage Farm in Katonah. You can find Betsee Parker ponies here. They’re a baby-rider factory.”
The Pony: “From Dr. Betsee Parker. These are super-well trained and well bred. They win everything. It’s like a golden ticket.”
The Jacket: “Custom Charles Ancona.”
—A former Hunter-Pony rider
The Poster for Cinephiles ‘Blow-Up,’ in Polish
“It’s eye-popping and wonderfully esoteric.”
—Stanley Oh, gallery manager at Posteritati
The Friendship Bracelet for 50-something Women A Stack of Sidney Garber Rolling Bracelets
“They announce that you’re friends with Sidney Garber ...
The Friendship Bracelet for 50-something Women A Stack of Sidney Garber Rolling Bracelets
“They announce that you’re friends with Sidney Garber designer Brooke Neidich, who’s a big-deal art philanthropist. I actually have a set, and people come up to me and will be like, ‘Oh, how do you know Brooke?’ ”
—Stellene Volandes, Town & Country jewelry editor
The Friendship Earring for 30-something Women A Pair of Noor Fares Gray-Agate Wing Earrings
“Noor is close friends with aristos like Eugenie Nia...
The Friendship Earring for 30-something Women A Pair of Noor Fares Gray-Agate Wing Earrings
“Noor is close friends with aristos like Eugenie Niarchos, also a jewelry designer, and they trade each other’s stuff. Another friend, Beatrice Borromeo, just wore Noor’s earrings to her wedding. So having these earrings implies that you’re part of this group of friends.”
—S.V.
The Cactus for New New Agers Copiapoa
“All copiapoa plants originally came from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, but stopped reproducing ye...
The Cactus for New New Agers Copiapoa
“All copiapoa plants originally came from the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, but stopped reproducing years ago, so any living copiapoa is the last of its kind. Getting a mature one is all about who you know.”
—Carlos Morera, co-owner of L.A.’s Cactus Store
The Drone for ValleyWag Readers A Prototype of the Lily
“Anyone who has one this early is either one of their investors or an Olympic snowboarde...
The Drone for ValleyWag Readers A Prototype of the Lily
“Anyone who has one this early is either one of their investors or an Olympic snowboarder they hired to do promo. It follows you in the air, and the footage makes your life look like a video game.”
—Cody Brown, tech entrepreneur Photo: Joe McKendry
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