With Valentino, The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering Hosted Its Yearly Fall Party at the Plaza Hotel

On Tuesday evening, a starry crowd gathered in the Plaza Hotel in celebration of an important cause. The Society of Memorial Sloan Kettering joined forces with Valentino for the sixth year to put on its annual Fall Party, a remarkable evening of dining, dancing, and fundraising in support of one of several MSK initiatives. This year, attendees would raise funds for one of the greatest innovations in pediatric cancer care to date: precision medicine and genetic sequencing.

Coats checked, guests ascended the hotel’s imposing marble staircase, which pointed upward at the coffered ceilings of the ornate cocktail room. Wafting past the occasional feathery Valentino frock, partygoers were free to indulge in the offerings of the center cocktail bar or snag a photo along the MSK-Valentino step-and-repeat.

At 8:00 pm, a row of French doors opened onto the terrace room, a lengthy corridor with baroque gold trim and teardrop chandeliers epitomizing 1920s flair. Tables featured extravagant arrangements of Coral Charm peonies, blue tweedia, and French rose hips.

As the evening kicked off, chairperson and MSK-treated breast cancer survivor Virginia W. Tomenson thanked cochairs, doctors, researchers, and benefactors tenfold for their contributions. Dr. Andrew Kung, Chair, Department of Pediatrics at MSK, underscored the impetus of precision medicine on pediatric cancers as survivorship soars above 80% (up from a comparable 20% figure that loomed 30 years past). By sequencing each gene in the human genome—all 26,000, for the first time ever—oncologists are able to discern the root cause of specific cancers at the inception in order to better treat—and prevent—the disease going forward.

The auction that punctuated the evening allowed attendees to make contributions up to $25,000 to give children access to this highly effective treatment option. With generous bids marking the evening as a by-and-large success, guests enjoyed their personal gelato-meringue treats and took the dance floor by storm.

As for the intersection of fashion and philanthropy, Tomenson shared, “Our committee loves shopping with them, they love supporting us—it’s this really amazing partnership and we’re really lucky to work with them.”