Catherine Saxton

CALL HER PICASSA
Renee Niklan’s Art
Pushes the Envelope

ITH the New York social season winding down, there have been even more parties. Everyone needs to entertain before people fly, sail or hurtle to the far corners of the globe.  Summer in the Hamptons, sailing on the Mediterranean, exploring the Greek islands, or yachting to St. Petersburg – whatever is on your calendar for the summer, it all begins on memorial Day weekend.

Prince Michel of Yugoslavia and New Yorkers of every ethnic origin gathered to celebrate an exhibition of international artist Renee Niklan.  A native of Turkey, Renee lives with her husband in Geneva and St. Tropez, and has exhibited her artwork around the world.

Della Rounick and Alexander Niklan

Some 200 of Renee’s nearest and dearest came from all parts of the tristate area to the Mikhail and Lombardo Gallery on Madison at 60^th Street. The exhibition was a smash and all the paintings were sold to adoring collectors with an eye to their present beauty and future value.

Renee’s work is that of a strong individualist. The powerful tones of her palette reflect her Mediterranean roots. The basic philosophy of her work is experimentation: never to settle for the ordinary, always to search for the ultimate expression of her inner artist’s soul.

Over the years she has created many lasting themes. Her latest is of envelopes and what they symbolize. Renee believes “the message is contained in an envelope.”

Intensify the importance of the envelope to the point where it takes up the whole canvass. The envelope becomes a liturgical object both ecstatic and vibrating with contained emotions. Sometimes they are see-through, but what remains, is an air of mystery in her work. Single or multiple, the envelope shape tends to transform from a hopscotch to checkerboard pattern. This invites the viewer to enter the world of an amusing, albeit essential, riddle: What am I? Where do I come from? Where do I go?

With this latest period, Renee Niklan addresses her message to everyone, allowing each one to discover the meaning one might wish to find.

Renee’s goal is to become known as Picassa, the female Picasso. It is a daring ambition, and one she is well on the road to reaching. Watch for her exhibition at a gallery near you, because we’ll all be seeing more of this artist in the years to come.

Dennis Basso Furs
Invokes Hollywood Glamour

HE annual fashion show of Dennis Basso Designer Fur Collection turned the Cotillion Room of The Pierre into the hottest place on fashionable Fifth Avenue. More than 400 “ladies who lunch” and about 100 press and paparazzo squeezed onto tiny gold chairs to watch $5 million worth of furs parade the runway.

The show opened with four of the most luscious young studly men sauntering out and striking a pose. The ladies’ temperatures immediately rose in quick response. After the men strutted their stuff, the ladies began to show some of the most divine outfits you’ve ever seen this side of Hollywood glamour circa 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s. Hooray for Hollywood glamour!

The Magic of Fur

With the ever-lovely MGM star Arlene Dahl in the front row, glamour was in fashion. Ivana Trump, Denise Rich, Janice Combs (mother of Puffy), Star Jones, Neil Sedaka, Kathy and Rick Hilton as well as a Princess and a Countess and a Baroness scattered around the room.

It was society to the max. The climax came with the lights dimmed and the magical tones of Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable filling the air. Kaboom! Lights up! And the beautiful Natalie Cole, resplendent in a $250,000 sable, confidently strutted her stuff to enthusiastic applause.

Some 150 of Dennis’ celebrity friends celebrated his triumphant day at a dinner party at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center. A watery mist shrouded the tower and the magnificent view was lost, but the star power in the room brightened every aspect of the evening.

A highlight of the party was the ultimate karaoke sing along. Neil Sedaka warbled some of his greatest hits, and then dueted with daughter Daria in their No. One hit. Not to be outdone, Natalie Cole reprised her fabulous duet with dad Nat, then got everyone on their feet to the pulsating beat of her new dance CD, co-written with Denise Rich. A fabulous evening!

Put This One on Your
Must Attend List for Next Year

HE moment you stepped into the D&D Building on Manhattan’s East Side, you felt as if you were in a garden. The lobby was filled with trees liberally sprinkled with the most fragrant gardenias. On four floors of this elegant building, 400 guests were sitting at tables designed by several of the world’s most famous interior decorators. Flowers were spread liberally throughout the building to create the most magnificent and fragrant environment you could ever imagine – or smell!

The elegant and gracious Somers White coordinated the evening for the New York Horticultural Society. Some of the most beautiful floral gowns and the prettiest women highlighted the evening.

Charles Cohen, cohost of the evening’s glamour, is owner of the D&D Building. He was seen everywhere meeting and greeting his guests. The junior social set was out in force, and even the old guard was in their most elegant finery.

Haase House in Hamptons 
Kicks Off Summer Season

HEN you’ve just built one of the showcases of the Hamptons, you want to launch it in style with the most elegant, fun group of friends you can manage. On the opening weekend of the summer social season, the party that Nurit and Werner Haase and their beautiful young daughter Ariella hosted, as a celebration to life, was indeed the fitting launch of a golden summertime.

The house sits in the estate section of the Hamptons. A bevy of valet parkers rushed frantically to check the arriving Rolls, Bentleys, Jaguars and Ferraris. The dress code was long white gown for the ladies and white dinner jacket for the men, A few individualists, of course, ignored the code, but those who adhered added to the glamour and magic of the evening.

Upon entering the house, one is immediately struck by the cathedral ceilings giving enormous height to the rooms. A neutral white/beige living room was an elegant backdrop to the glitterati who stopped by for the party.

Ariella Haase

Passing through the downstairs rooms out onto the patio, one saw such visual splendors as a swimming pool with Jacuzzi, followed by an elegant pool house and changing rooms for the tennis court. The tennis courts had been tented for the evening. The most elegant tables, resplendent with the hosts’ collection of dinnerware, crystal and breath-taking centerpieces had transformed the tent into a mini-Versailles.

Daniel Boulud’s Feasts et Fetes did the culinary honors for the evening, so of course the food was exquisite. Champagne and all manner of wines flowed freely. Two orchestras played for the dancers who energetically filled the dance floor. To add to the informality of the evening, the ever-wonderful Neil Sedaka led the boisterous sing along. All those lucky enough to attend the kick-off party of the Hamptons summer season enjoyed a fabulous evening. It was a great way to start the summer fun. Thank you, Nurit, Werner and Ariella!

Nurit Haase (l-r), Ivana Trump, Della Rounick and Ender Mermer

Furrier to the Stars Dennis Basso (l-r), Leba and Neil Sedaka, Michael Cominotto and Nurit Kahane Haase

Catherine Saxton has been a part of the New York social and celebrity scene for
the past 25 years. She has worked with Presidents, Kings and Princes,
plus celebrities including Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelley,
Donald & Ivana Trump, Madonna, and on, and on.

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