New York, June 15, 2009 – With the big opening party for the long-awaited High Line park falling the same night as the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards, Monday was one big – and long – night in New York City.  While the fashion folks were handing out awards at Lincoln Center, Friends of the High Line supporters gathered downtown at Chelsea Piers for their summer benefit honoring actor Edward Norton and philanthropists Lisa Maria and Philip Falcone, who donated $10 million to the park. 

But that was just the start of the evening, as attendees from both events converged at the High Line, where Calvin Klein Collection sponsored the first party at the new park, located on an elevated railroad track running through West Chelsea and the meatpacking district in Manhattan.  CFDA Award winner Alexander Wang arrived at the High Line wearing a torn white T-shirt, and admitted it was simply what he wore under his dressier outfit earlier in the evening.  “I did a little switcheroo in the car,” Wang said laughing.  The designer did wear his short pants to the CFDA Awards ceremony, however.  “They’re Commes des Garcons, so I thought they’d be acceptable.” he explained.

Celebrity couple Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman got involved in the High Line through their friend, Edward Norton.  “This is my neighborhood; we live on 19th Street,” Perlman said.  “I’m so excited.  I can’t wait to get up there; I’m so glad it stopped raining,” she added. 

Many partygoers noted that this official “first party” on the High Line is actually the second – back in September, Calvin Klein, Inc. celebrated its 40th anniversary with a private party on the unfinished trestle – but they had to do their own landscaping for that extravaganza.