On Tuesday night, Tod’s hosted a cocktail party at its Madison Avenue boutique to celebrate its new coffee table book “Italian Hands” and signature Gommino loafer. The Italian touch was evident throughout the store, as trays of quiche, arancini balls and cocktails circulated around the room to guests decked in Tod’s looks.
Katie Holmes was an early arrival, catching up with Tod’s chairman Diego Della Valle as “The Pitt” star Isa Briones sipped a bellini nearby. Christian Slater stopped to chat with Holmes en route to the shoemaking demo, where an aproned artisan was in the middle of hand-constructing a Gommino loafer.
“I’m a huge fan of the brand,” said Slater, dressed head-to-toe in Tod’s. “ One of the people that works for this company, our kids go to the same school. So that makes it a very small world, and makes it feel more personal to be here.”
The actor recently returned to the city after wrapping production on “The Hole,” directed by Kim Jee-woon. “ I just got back from Korea, so I’m a little jet-lagged,” said Slater. “It’s definitely a psychological thriller. Theo James is great, and the director was amazing. I loved it. I was there for about a month,” he said of the film, which just announced a theatrical deal with Amazon MGM’s Orion Pictures.
Other guests stopping by throughout the evening included Andrew Scott, Penn Badgley, Rachel Brosnahan, Jason Ralph, Danai Gurira, KiKi Layne and more.
The orange hardcover book, which celebrates Made in Italy craftsmanship, was displayed throughout the store, where guests could flip through pages of photos depicting artisans working with glass, terracotta, brass and bronze, and pesto.
“People love it,” said Della Valle about the reception to “Italian Hands,” which launched with a party during Milan Design Week in April. The celebrations will continue around the world, as the brand plans to host its next book event in Asia.
“ Craftsmanship. The colors, the glamour, the livability. It’s everything good,” said Nicole Ari Parker of the Tod’s appeal. “ I went to private school my whole life, as a girl, second to 12th grade. So I appreciate a crisp shirt, a nice loafer. Tod’s is very comforting to me.” The actress attended the party alongside her “And Just Like That” costar Sarita Choudhury as both prepare for the show’s third season, which premieres on May 29.
“We’re excited. It’s a season of summer. We’re not in furs and boots,” said Choudhury. “And hardship in the sun is different. You know when you’re sweating but you’re like, I look better? It’s almost like a sheen.”
Dylan Efron has been in the New York sun for about a week, and recently attended the red carpet premiere for “Mission Impossible” at Lincoln Center. But his humble brag wasn’t the Tom Cruise moment.
“I’ve been here about six times this year, and I’ve had the most beautiful weather every time I’ve come,” said the “Traitors” star. “I think I’ve brought the sunshine every time.”
The newly minted reality star is no stranger to Tod’s, having worn the brand often during his press tour.
“It just kind of fits me well,” said Efron, who accessorized his Italian-made look with a Japan-made point-and-shoot Contax T2 film camera, hanging from a crossbody strap. “ It’s easy to forget when you’re traveling where you went, what you did,” he said. “It’s a nice little way to look back at all you’ve done.”
