Fashion’s prince, Douglas Hannant, gives his glamour girls what hey’ve always wanted: a Fifth Avenue address at The Plaza Hannant Heaven
reporting by NICOLE MURAKAMI
Douglas Hannant is not just a designer, he is style incarnate. He is a magnet for some of this generation’smosttalked-about, most photographed
and most admired women around the globe. Some won’t
even go out at night until they get his seal of approval. And
when there’s a big event in New York, you can forget about
call waiting, conference calling, multiple lines, text messaging, e-mailing, instant messaging, SMS or carrier pigeons.
Even his mother can’t get through. For heaven’s sake, he’s only
got two ears, two hands, one mouth and a ticking clock. And
let’s not forget that address. Up until now, he was pretty much
geographically out of reach, south of huh? and west of
nowhere. So you could only be inked in for a date after eight.
Finally, The Shops at The Plaza, every girl’s dream come true,
have come to the rescue. Discretely tucked away on 58th Street
right off Fifth, where any really in-the-know club should be,
Douglas Hannant has moved uptown (hallelujah!) where all the
women who literally define style can go. Here’s where all the
girls seen on the pages of Vogue, W and, of course, AVENUE will
be found trying on all the latest looks with Douglas and his
partner, the fabulous Frederick Anderson, in between their
power jobs, their charity work and picking up their children
from school. Frederick and Douglas are just so much fun that,
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although everyone is there to be first in the latest frocks, they
can’t stop talking and laughing long enough for fittings and
fashion. The décor of the club—oops, we mean boutique—has
been perfectly designed by uber-decorator Geoffrey Bradfield,
who is internationally pulled in every direction. And by the way,
it’s really annoying just how great looking these three guys are.
So, Club DH, i.e. Douglas Hannant’s new shop, is more
than just dresses, it’s a lifestyle. And the girls who will be
racing to The Plaza to see their darling Douglas, his latest
looks and their BFF Frederick will come from far and wide, as
his clientele has become increasingly international. It’s a
global who’s who. So, let’s see . . . The regulars include Nina
Garcia, Valesca Hermès, Dayssi Olarte de Kanavos, Eva
Lorenzotti, Jennifer Creel, Tinsley Mortimer, Amanda
Hearst, Beyoncé, Charlize Theron and Halle Berry, and
from across the pond, Luce Churchill, wife of Sir Winston’s
grandson, and Kate Khosrovani, muse of YSL—and that’s
just off the top of our heads.
Here’s what some of Douglas’ inner circle have to say about
the wonderful world of Hannant and why they just love hanging
with him. And also, seen only here on the pages of AVENUE,
some behind-the-scenes photos taken from the new advertising
campaign featuring some of Douglas’ favorite muses.