A Crowning Achievement!
We refer to Night of a Thousand Gowns as a Coronation Ball, when in fact, most of it is celebration and recognition of a reign that's coming to an end. And yet, the final event of the night is always one of the most colorful, one of the most elaborate, and one of the things people will talk about forever and ever: The Coronation of the new Emperor and Empress.
Where the Red Carpet Meets the Runway
It’s Called Night of a Thousand GOWNS.
Night of a Thousand Gowns is a charity ball. It’s a coronation ceremony. It’s a chance to honor members of our community.
But it’s also a fashion show.
There have been years when “a thousand gowns” has been less of a title than an actual description as dresses and gowns of every shape and size fly up and down in the pneumatic tube elevators at the Marriott Marquis for the world to see and enjoy.
(Sidebar: There are actually YouTube videos of the elevators. Here's one!)
Some of New ...
I Know “Order of Operations,” but What’s “Order of Precedence?”
One of the grandest moments at any Night of a Thousand Gowns comes when His Royal Highness, the Grand Duke Swanson opens the curtains on the glittering assemblage of monarchs and courtiers of the Imperial Court of New York. It’s a showstopping moment of huge gowns, huge jewels and it’s also the moment that the members step up to play the most regal and most ridiculous part of this game we play: protocol.
Part of what makes the Imperial Court of New York different from other fundraisers in New York is our attention to formalized whimsy. Whimsy because ...
Bring On the Men!
The ladies of the Imperial Court of New York aren't the only ones who turn it out: the men of the Imperial Court also bling home the bacon!
Another Openin’ Another Show!
They say that a Broadway opening number sets the tone for the two and a half hours to follow. At Night of A Thousand Gowns, the Imperial Court of New York tries to do the same thing! For 24 of the last 30 years, members of the ICNY have poured their heart and souls into creating an opening that will grab the attention of the audience and hold onto it.
We Gave the World New Ways to Dream
Okay, I intended this to be a quick blog, but New York’s Monarchs have appeared in so many film and television projects that the list keeps going. It’s far from comprehensive, but it’s true! And we’re talking more than appearing in interviews or news stories: most of us have done that, but beyond the news, there’s all of this:
Starting with the very first Empress, Sybil Bruncheon, whose cable access shows in the 1980’s included A La Maison, Be Our Guest and Stonewall After Dark, we’ve made it our work of getting in front of every camera we can ...
Raising Spirits on Riverside Drive
Sometimes, it’s as important to raise spirits as money, and one annual opportunity for the Imperial Court of New York to shine is GMHC’s annual AIDS Walk.
Rain or shine on the third Sunday of May, this event attracts tens of thousands of people each year. They make the 10K walk from one end of Central Park to the other, up 110th Street to Riverside Drive and then back down the Upper West Side and into the park again. Along the way, they’re likely to meet people providing music, Cheer NY doing all sorts of gymnastics, and other groups brought in to applaud, ...
Get Them On Their Knees!
How do you get your boss on your knees in front of you?
I’ll Glitter and Gleam So…
New York’s true Empress, Brooke Astor once said, "If I go up to Harlem or down to Sixth Street, and I'm not dressed up or I'm not wearing my jewelry, then people feel I'm talking down to them. People expect to see Mrs. Astor, not some dowdy old lady, and I don't intend to disappoint."
New York’s Imperial Court feels the same way, Mrs. Astor and we don’t ever disappoint.
It Takes A Village
Ladies in Waiting and Aides de Camp serve another purpose: they're your conscience. Monarchs can too easily live in a bubble and forget that they're just playing a game and that their 'ladies' are actually their friends...
