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| A ubiquitous presence, however unli |
| A ubiquitous presence, however unlikely
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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
, 12-December-2013
4:48:5 AM |
| What better place to debut a jewellery collection by Waris Ahluwalia than the regal Explorers Club on the Upper East Side? With its wood panelling, stained-glass windows and imposing stuffed animals shot by ruling-class rifles, it seemed to be art-directed for someone who might be mistaken for European aristocracy or Indian royalty.
"Ready for some photos?" a publicist asked Ahluwalia.
Of course he was. Instantly recognizable with his trademark black turban and bespoke style, Ahluwalia - the jewellery designer/retailer/actor/model - is one of the most photographed men on the city's social circuit, with more than 1,500 appearances on the Billy Farrell Agency photo website. That's more than Lady Gaga, Salman Rushdie, Harvey Weinstein and Lindsay Lohan combined. (Anna Wintour has more, of course.)
"Can we get you posing next to your jewellery?" a photographer asked Ahluwalia, 39, who stood by a vitrine while influential young New Yorkers who populate the city's social savannas ascended a majestic staircase. Olivier Theyskens, the fashion darling; Jamie Johnson, the young heir and documentarian; and Prosper Assouline, the French-born publisher; congratulated him. Arden Wohl, in vegan high heels of her design, admired the man of the hour.
"He's always dressed to a T," Wohl said. "And he has a certain power in his eyes."
After cocktails, a well-culled herd of 75, including Tara Subkoff, Davendra Banhart and Walton Ford, the naturalist painter, sat down for a formal dinner at two long candlelit tables. Later, his guests ran upstairs to the club's off-limits fourth floor, where they took selfies with an emperor penguin and other taxidermy. Ahluwalia, who as a Sikh doesn't drink or take drugs, laughed at the mayhem, while his mother, Darshan, wearing a sari, smiled with amusement and pride.
Natasha Lyonne, an old friend, held Ahluwalia's hand. "Waris is everywhere, kind of like a Zelig only with far fewer neuroses," she said.
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