On August 8, 2012 we were delighted to attend the Gc Watches Smart Luxury cocktail reception recognizing their first U.S. Rising Stars, musician Shaina Taub and artist Moises Ramirez. The reception was held at the Robert Restaurant located on the 9th floor the Museum of Art and Design in New York.
The restaurant has spectacular views that overlook Columbus Circle and Central Park West. This made for the perfect backdrop for the talent and artistry represented at the event. Cases displaying Gc brand watches were spotlighted by the setting sun.
Attendees not only had the pleasure of learning more about these artists on the rise but were also treated to a sneak peek of the latest watch designs from Gc brand. In the crowd were glitterati guests like design duo Brian Wolk and Claude Morais, musician Simon Collins (son of Phil Collins), Anna Corinna and Dana Foley of Foley + Corinna handbags and Vanity Fair columnist George Wayne.
The Gc brand is the brainchild of Paul Marciano, founder of the iconic GUESS fashion line. He founded Gc for people like himself who aspire to a refined chic lifestyle. Gc Smart Luxury offers timepieces of substance with a price-conscious approach. At prices from $300-$2000, Gc brand timepieces combine Swiss quality precision with contemporary styling.
Rising Stars awards are part of an international campaign “Moments of Smart Luxury captured by Gc”. Looking towards the future the awards focus on promoting emerging creative unique artists from all mediums. Individuals must personify the characteristic of the Gc brand – be ambitious, self-assured dynamic and proud of their success.
Rising Star, Shania Staub performed a cabaret style set singing a mash-ups of Beyoncé and Cole Porter. That demonstrated her modern take on the American songbook. Shania is a, singer, songwriter, who regularly performs in New York with her band at top venues, including The Bitter End, The Living Room. She graduated from NYU’s Tisch School of Arts and is recipient of a 2011 Macdowell Fellowship. Her first EP, What Otters Do was also released in 2011. Shania is currently working on the score of a new musical with playwright Kim Rosenstock, commissioned by the Tony-Award winning Oregon Shakespeare Summer Festival while also developing music for Walt Disney Imagineering.
Moises Ramirez, is an artist that mixes visual mediums. He blends 15 years of painting with 7 years of make-up artistry to design a wholly new form of contemporary art. Based in New York, Moises’ work takes on a level of illusion and skill that’s never beenseen and in turn has attracted an ever-increasing circle of fans and collectors.
An exhibit by photographer Pino Gomes, capturing the artists at work lined the walls of the entire restaurant. Pino Gomes, the well-known Brazilian lensman, is the man behind the camera for The “Moments of Smart Luxury”. The project will last two years and result in an international exhibition of selected images from around the world—these photos will also be used in the upcoming Gc ad campaign.
