Early ’80s Alex Kramer
1981
, jewelry designer
W
hen we were 13, we all went to this club called Area, which was really fun. We would wait on line in front of the bouncers, who decided who could come in and who couldn’t. We all had braces, so we were careful to keep our mouths shut and not to smile so we could get in.
35th Anniversary
Bob Colacello
A
rea was just a blur of changing décors, the only constant being Eric Goode grinning seductively. After Steve Rubell got out of jail, Calvin Klein threw his daughter, Marci, a Sweet 16 party at Studio 54. It was the last great party there, before Steve and Ian Schrager opened the Palladium.
1982
Alex Kramer
M
ick Jagger came to my house to get his daughter, Jade, because she had been staying with me and Bianca was away. My dad spent at least 30 minutes trying to decide what kind of music to put on. He finally went with Bob Seger. I was mortified. I was like, “Dad, no music, please, no music.” Then my mom came over and gave Mick a lecture about spending more time with his daughter. Later my parents fought for like an hour. That was a big moment. The whole building was talking about it.
1980s
Henry Buhl
, Association of Community Employment Programs for the Homeless founder
I
was photographing the wedding of Freddie and Carol Guest when a PR woman came up to me and said, “How would you like to shoot an opening of YSL on Madison Avenue?” I said, “I’d like to do that.” They paid me very well. A lot better than the 13 weddings I had done. The opening was very glamorous. Elizabeth Taylor, Malcolm Forbes, Pat Buckley and Nan Kempner were there. Later, a magazine called me up and asked if they could use the pictures. I told them to call YSL, and they said, “Yes.” The magazine asked, “How much for two pages?” I said, “Nothing, just give me a byline.” After that, I never stopped working: movie openings, charity events—I was out every night. I’ve photographed 261 weddings in my career. I photographed Vera Wang’s wedding at The Plaza. I photographed two out of the three Miller girls’ weddings. I went to the one in London, and the Queen was there. I did one in Bali. But the Miller wedding that was right here, at the foot of Wall Street, that one I did not do. When Vanity Fair featured Bill Cunningham about 10 or 12 years ago, I had the most pictures of Bill Cunningham taking pictures of other people. They published those.
90 | AVENUE MAGAZINE · 35th Anniversary 2010
Bob Colacello
A
New York moment that changed the course of my life was meeting Nancy Reagan at Le Cirque in February 1981. The First Lady and President Reagan had gone to see Sugar Babies, starring Mickey Rooney and Ann Miller, and they came to Le Cirque afterward. Sirio had arranged for the restaurant to be full of Reagan admirers. Reinaldo and Carolina Herrera invited me, Andy Warhol and some friends from abroad, Countess Marina Cicogna, Franco Rossellini and Florinda Bolkan. The Reagans were with the Bloomingdales, Jerry Zipkin, Claudette Colbert and Jan and Mike Cowles (who published Look magazine). Our group finished eating before the Reagans did, and everyone from our table dashed over to theirs. I felt kind of shy and so did Andy, so I went to get my coat and he followed. Suddenly, I heard Alfred Bloomingdale asking in his booming voice, “Where’s Bob Colacello? He’s the only real Republican here.” So Alfred introduced Andy to the President, and then he said, “Mr. President, this is Bob Colacello, the editor of Interview. He’s a real Republican.” And Reagan said, “That’s good.” I was introduced to Nancy Reagan next. She took both of my hands in hers and gave me that gaze, and said: “I’ve heard a lot about you.” The only thing I could think to say in response was, “I’ve heard a lot about you, too.” She let out this deep, warm, sophisticated laugh that made me think of her in a whole new way. And she continued holding onto my hands for a remarkably long time. As soon as we left the restaurant, Andy started saying, “She really loves you, Bob.” I could tell he was very jealous by the number of times he repeated it.