Alzheimer’s association Rita Hayworth Gala 30th anniversary at Waldorf Astoria

On a Tuesday night Manhattan’s legendary Waldorf-Astoria hosted celebrities, philanthropists and socialites who wined, dined and bid at the hotel’s Grand Ballroom for a good cause – finding a cure for the Alzheimer disease through the advancement of research. Among the guests on the red carpet were spotted actress Brooke Shields, TV personality Padma Lakshmi, journalist Deborah Norville, fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, hotel magnates Kathy and Rick Hilton, writer Jay McInerney and many others. The event featured a performance by multi-Grammy Award winning jazz singer Diana Krall.

“The mission of Alzheimer’s association is to raise funds and awareness to those who are suffering, to support them and provide care or assistance. To find a research very progressive and very out of the box that otherwise wouldn’t find any funding at all,” said gala chair Nicole Sexton. The founder of the Alzheimer association is Princess Yasmin Aga Khan – the daughter of Rita Hayworth and Prince Aly Khan, who affected by her mother’s illness decided to make a difference and raise awareness on the disease.

The silent auction, gathering funds to fight Alzheimer, included some pretty interesting items such as a round of golf with both Roger Waters from Pink Floyd and tennis legend John McEnroe; a versatile necklace crafted with 20 strands of apatite and additionally adorned with a 14-carat pendant made of emeralds, diamonds, cultured pearls, rubellite and quartz; an exclusive week on a private island in the Bahamas; a portrait of Rita Hayworth by Mauro Bergonzoli and further more.

On the red carpet Tommy Hilfiger told The Upcoming, that the three fashion must-haves for this season are a Dio Clippo luxury handbag, Tommy Hilfiger corduroy and a great vacation.

Jay McInerney said that every generation needs its New York novel and as a reader he wants to read what people in their twenties think about New York now. He really likes David Gilbert’s & Sons and is finishing the first draft of what he called “another New York novel”. Jay McInerney is well-known for his 1984 book Bright Lights, Big City – one of the most famous novels written in second person, telling the story of a young fact-checker, dumped by his model wife and losing himself by night at the cocaine hedonism of the 80s yuppie scene. Bright Lights, Big City was later turned into a movie starring Michael J Fox and Kiefer Sutherland.

 Martina Dechevska
Photos: Ettore Loiacono

For further information on the Alzheimer’s Association and the Rita Hayworth gala visit here.