The Botanist Gin Puts A Tasteful Touch On Our Official Magazine Launch
The second week of September in New York is one of the busiest of the fashion calendar year, marking the arrival of trendsetters from all corners of the world to America’s style capital for the iconic week-long celebration of sartorialism.
But no matter who you are or what part of the fashion universe you hail from, everyone deserves time to enjoy themselves in between the non-stop festivities. Luckily, The Botanist Islay Dry Gin was here to answer our New York Fashion Week needs.
Teaming up with the renowned Scottish gin, we hosted an intimate dinner party at Ella Funt, an already beloved bistro in the heart of the East Village, to kick off Fashion Week properly and celebrate the launch of our September issue of Highsnobiety magazine. Having come to host the who’s who of the city’s most stylish and artistically inclined, it served as the perfect backdrop for an event that was equal parts culinary exhibition and social gathering.
With a specially curated menu courtesy of chef Pierce Abernathy, which included a corn aioli made from battered market produce and a crudo prepared with a pepper emulsion and gooseberries; guests dined on a diverse spread of dishes and hors d'oeuvres to start the night. Accompanying the Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, The Botanist Gin's National Brand Ambassador for the US, Madelyn Kay, crafted a group of custom martinis, such as the specialty chive blossom martini as well as a blueberry amaro martini, to pair with each course, giving attendees an array of flavor palettes to sample for their enjoyment.
“(Pierce’s) dishes are thoughtful and curated to let the ingredients shine.” shares Kay when asked about her experience collaborating with the imaginative chef. “In a similar way, The Botanist was inspired by high-end cuisine. Its incredible balance is a result of the 22-hand foraged botanicals it contains making it the perfect pairing for Pierce’s beautifully curated plates.”
Similar to the nature of the party’s food and drink pairings, so too was the guest list equally as eclectic and yet entirely compatible. Notable attendees included industry tastemakers such as stylist and creative Bloody Dior, NBA player Jerami Grant, fashion insider and host of Behind the Scene Anaa Saber, and Highsnobiety’s September issue cover star Grace Valentine: all of whom have made names for themselves in their respective spaces.
Permeating the restaurant with spirited conversation, the low-key affair turned into an excitable mix of faces–– initially unacquainted but made quickly familiar–– mingling amongst one another for the better half of the evening.
Kay best summarizes, "There aren’t many gins that can lean into different flavor profiles the way The Botanist can, and that’s the special thing that makes a cocktail great, no matter what style.” Certainly, the same could be said of Friday night’s celebration, which brought this melange of creatives together to begin NYFW in true Highsnob fashion.
