Young Fellows Ball Celebrates Don Quixote Exhibit

The invitation read “Don quixotic black tie,” and whether that was a typo or an intentional blending of noun and adjective, the women who arrived at The Frick Collection’s Young Fellows Ball on Thursday were decked out in flamenco ruffles and matador-inspired outfits. The theme, “A Dance at the Spanish Court,” took inspiration from the museum’s special exhibition Coypel’s Don Quixote Tapestries: Illustrating a Spanish Novel in Eighteenth-Century France.

Many were dressed by Lanvin, the evening’s sponsor, including chairmen Lydia Fenet Delaney, Elizabeth Kurpis, and Amory McAndrew. “I always love the Frick [gala], seeing what everyone’s wearing. People really dress for the theme, unlike many other parties,” Delaney said.

“The setting lends itself to being really dramatically dressed,” McAndrew piped in. Adding to the drama or the Instagram fodder at least were customized fans emblazoned with “Lanvin [hearts] the Frick” in gold cursive. Guests playfully hid behind the accessory for photographers circling, and, later in the night, to add a little extra flair to their dance moves.