Ralph Lauren and Bruce Weber Celebrate the Fifth Avenue Opening

Last night, on a stretch of Fifth Avenue in Midtown, guests were transported from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan into another world. The transformation of the former Disney Store into Ralph Lauren’s Polo mecca was complete, and there was nary a trace of Mickey, Minnie, or Goofy. From the dashing gents in polos offering personal-size bottles of bubbly to the cable-knit bar on the third floor, it seemed Ralph Lauren thought of everything, and Alessandra Ambrosio, Hilary Rhoda, and Garance Doré joined legendary photographer Bruce Weber to celebrate the store’s official opening.

The partnership between Lauren and Weber is three decades strong and still going, and last night saw the photographer in a jovial mood and taking note of all the interesting details in the store, including a kayak on the ceiling and oversize animal statuettes.

As an Americana vibe permeated throughout, we were compelled to ask guests if they could recall their first piece of Ralph Lauren. “Oh, my God, probably a polo,” said Rhoda sporting a dress with a Navajo-inspired pattern and a tweed blazer from the brand. “And my first modeling job was Ralph Lauren!” she added with excitement. Ambrosio, who was headed up to the second floor, which features womenswear and Ralph’s Coffee Shop jeans, said, “It was a yellow crew neck that’s all I wore.”

Meanwhile, the Cinema Society and Moncler hosted a post-screening fete for Juliette Binoche’s new film, Clouds of Sils Maria, at downtown restaurant Omar’s. “With the words you have to say and embody, they have to resonate truthfully in yourself,” said the French actress on acting at the after-party, wearing a Fausto Puglisi embellished skirt. “You put yourself in a situation of truth, and that resonates with the fragility of all actresses.” The Clouds of Sils Maria, a deeply intense film that touches upon age within the film industry, as well as self-realization and seclusion, also stars young actresses Kristen Stewart and Chloë Grace Moretz.

Stewart, who looked effortlessly cool in a blazer, jeans, and Miloh hat, spoke about working with the legendary Binoche: “At first, it was terrifying. Yet she has an innate ability to pull you out of yourself. You find yourself sitting with her and, in a matter of moments, you really do drop every guard and become insanely thoughtful. She is a lofty thinker. We also are really fond of each other and we make each other laugh.”