Salt-N-Pepa Gets the Tod’s Summer Dinner Crowd Dancing
Tod’s knows how to keep a party going.
The Italian brand returned to East Hampton on Wednesday night for its third annual summer dinner in celebration of its Hamptons boutique. Guests were still talking about last year’s party, where Wyclef Jean’s performance kept the crowd on their feet throughout the night. Who would be able to follow the act this year?
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The answer turned out to be iconic hip-hop duo Salt-N-Pepa.
“I tried to get [my mom] to come to the event and she was like, ‘no, I’m tired, I’m staying in,’” said Emma Roberts during cocktail hour. “My friend was like, ‘really? Salt-N-Pepa’s performing.’ And [my mom] was like, ‘well, Emma, you didn’t tell me that! I would’ve come.’ I didn’t realize that was the deal breaker. I should’ve known.”
“This is our annual mom’s night out,” said Nicky Hilton Rothschild, who was catching up with Roberts before the dinner, which was cohosted by Derek Blasberg along with Loida Lewis and her daughter Christina Lewis.
Neil Patrick Harris and husband David Burtka were back at the Lewis family home, located atop a dune in East Hampton, after attending last year’s fete.
“Tod’s is such a great brand, and this house is incredible. I mean, how could you not? The views are insane,” said Burtka, surveying the oceanfront that stretched past the property. He had recently recovered from hip replacement surgery — “he’s never been more hip,” quipped Harris — and the couple were enjoying a relatively quiet summer out east with their family. “The kids go to camp soon. We’ll be empty nesters for the first time ever,” added Burtka.
Nearby, guests including Kathryn Newton, Casey Fremont, Barbara Bush and Craig Coyne, and Sai De Silva were taking in a demonstration by a Tod’s leather maker from Italy, who was stitching together a shoe for onlookers.
“In all sincerity, I love the brand because every time I slip into their clothing or shoes I feel me, I feel real, and very comfortable,” said artist Lee Quiñones. “I love the way they host a great event, and bring great talents and great people together that have not necessarily met each other in such a small world as New York,” he added.
The artist, who got his start painting subway cars in the ’70s, is celebrating an important milestone next year. “My 50th anniversary of picking up my first cans of spray paint,” he said, adding that he’s in the process of working on his first monograph book, as well as being filmed for a documentary about his life. But that evening, he was leaning into the ease of summertime out east.
“I’m usually marooned in the city throughout the summer, because I love the city in the summer, but when you come out here, there’s a nice sort of escape hatch for a minute. And then you go back [to New York] and you’re like — ah, yeah, I love you [the city] again.”
Later, the seated portion of the evening came to an abrupt end shortly after the main course was served. Salt-N-Peppa had arrived, and were quickly en route to the tent’s stage.
“Ya’ll ready to party?” Cheryl James, aka “Salt,” asked the crowd, as guests quickly pushed back their chairs.
They were more ready than ever.
Launch Gallery: Inside Tod's Hampton's Summer Celebration
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