Last night, fans and friends of Susan Alexandra gathered over cocktails, bagels with smiley faces courtesy of Baz Bagels, pickles, and pastrami (by Pastrami Queen, of course) for a Hanukkah-style dinner that filled the Hall des Lumières interactive art museum in Tribeca.
As the live klezmer band Isle of Klezbos played, guests explored designer Susan Korn’s latest Judaica collection, all displayed on an epic centerpiece. Charms featuring mini bagels with lox, challah bread, carrots, and eggs were displayed alongside real bagels that were neatly arranged topped with lit candles. Also on display? Baby T-shirts with the phrase “mommy’s little matzoh ball,” caps decorated with the slogan “my other hat is a yarmulke,” and the most distinctly colorful and joyful menorahs next to the label’s famed I heart New York bags.
“The Judaica collection was designed and planned far in advance, as was the Hanukkah party,” Korn told us. “The heavy reality of the times we are living in couldn’t be anticipated, and considering this, there was much talk of canceling the event and re-working our collection. There was so much fear around what we were doing and putting into the world. I decided to push on. What I aim to create with this collection and with all that I do is to create sparks of joy. In the Talmud, it says that we must always, above all else, prioritize joy, and that is what we will do at our Hanukkah event and with this collection.”
Guests sipped cocktails, snacked, and chatted as they enjoyed a joyful comedic performance by Zach Schiffman. Many topped off their pastrami latkes with caviar while sipping Ketel One Botanicals martinis. Later on, Korn took to the stage for a heart-warming speech on Jewish joy before catching up with more friends and fans of the brand. In addition to celebrating Susan Alexandra’s new collection, the event also served as an opportunity to view the newly-opened exhibition at Hall des Lumières, Chagall, Paris – New York. In between bites, there were many photos taken of the illuminated walls, which came to life with the striking, expressive, moving imagery.
As enchanting as the art were the colorful lit menorahs shaped like watermelons and dirty martinis–above all else, incredibly on-brand for Susan Alexandra. “The jewelry, merch, and pieces for the home were created because I couldn’t find colorful, funny, quirky Judaica on the market, and I decided to create my own,” Korn told us. “I wanted to make menorahs that could be on display year-round, part art piece, part menorah.” A portion of proceeds from the collection will be donated to World Central Kitchen, which feeds people in need during crises around the world. Like a ray of light, the event offered community to many. With their signature beaded bags in hand, Susan’s biggest supports noshed on mini bagels and snapped endless photos of the pickle and olive display in the most perfect colorful beaded baskets.