British oil painter Stephen Sumner had a fashionable escort at the opening of his new show at the Serge Sorokko Gallery this week: His longtime partner, Glenda Bailey, editor of Harper's Bazaar.
Not only fashionable, but well-decorated, and we're not just talking about her clothes. Bailey was given high honors in May when the British government made her an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
But back to Sumner, a designer-illustrator who worked as art director for the IPC group in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He chucked corporate life in favor of pursuing his passion, and in 1994 the native of Blackpool moved to New York to paint, full time.
His minimalist oils focus on imaginary landscapes and are said to have a poetic quality.
He was in good company in San Francisco, where the Sorokkos are no strangers to all things modish. Tatiana Sorokko, wife of gallery owner Serge, was a runway model and is now a contributor to Harper's Bazaar.
Sumner has previously shown his work at maverick art dealer Kenny Schachter's gallery, and at the Winston Wachter Fine Art Gallery in Manhattan, where a silent auction of designer wastebaskets fetched $30,000 for "Bono's Trash" in September.
No trash talking on Grant Avenue, though -- just compliments all the way around for Sumner from every fashionista at the show (you thought they would invite hoi polloi? Puh-lease.)
Pamela Skaist-Levy, co-founder of Juicy Couture, flew up from Los Angeles with her husband, Jeff, just for the show. Good thing, too -- she snapped up two of the paintings, which ranged from $3,000 to $7,000 a piece. "I'm honored to have them in my collection,'' she said. "I'll put them in my home."
What does one wear to a gallery show? In her case, just a little frock: a vintage copper-bronze flapper dress from the 1920s, Indian bracelets, a J. Mendel fur capelet and a vintage headband with ostrich plume. Bailey wore a tastefully elegant off-the-shoulder Versace dress, Yves Saint-Laurent shoes and an Armani bag. World-renowned fashion magazine editors can afford these things, you know.
What does this crowd do after a gallery show? Head to a watering hole, or in this case, a WaterBar -- the Pat Kuleto restaurant on the Embarcadero, for a late dinner and round of Dom Perignon rose, LeRoy white and red burgundies, and a generally fabulous time.
Bailey says the biggest trend in Los Angeles right now isn't even a fashion trend -- it's Mexican dominoes, a game played at big get-togethers in people's homes by the likes of Daya Fernandez, Penelope Cruz, Salma Hayek, and others. Bailey should know -- she has played with them all, says it's "good, clean fun," and was "thrashed by Salma Hayek." Hmmm. Sounds a little naughty to us.
Well, there was no question that all the dots lined up on the show's opening night. There were so many guests at the gallery and everyone had such a good time, that for the first time ever, Serge Sorokko ran out of wine.
