The French Heritage Society hosted its annual Gala Dinner Dance – this year themed The Art Deco Ball at an elegant Metropolitan Club in Manhattan. The glamorous evening honored the storied French fashion house Lanvin and its Artistic Director Peter Copping, marking a celebratory moment for the brand’s new chapter.
James Fallon, Peter Copping French Heritage Society 2025 New York Gala Metropolitan Club, New York, NY November 12, 2025 ©Patrick McMullan Photo Jared Siskin/PM
Copping accepted the evening’s top honor from James Fallon, Chief Content Officer at WWD and Fairchild Media Group, who praised Jeanne Lanvin’s “groundbreaking” vision and Copping’s “inimitable designs known for their effortless femininity, ease, sense of color, the touch of whimsy that only the British can achieve.”
In his remarks, Copping reflected on the meaning of heritage, noting that it is “not only what we inherit, it is what we choose to own, to care for, to restore and to pass forward.”
Alex Donner, Cece Black, Randolph Fishburn and Andrew Sands attend French Heritage Society 2025 New York Gala on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
Guests were warmly welcomed by Special Events Chair CeCe Black, Chairman Elizabeth F. Stribling, President Denis de Kergorlay, incoming Chairman Timothy Corrigan, and incoming President Jean-Guillaume de Tocqueville d’Hérouville. Additional remarks were offered by Lanvin Deputy CEO Siddhartha Shukla and FHS Executive Director Jennifer Herlein. The evening was made possible thanks to Gala Chairmen Liz McDermott Barnes, Jean Shafiroff, and Ann Van Ness, along with an extensive group of dedicated Dinner Chairmen.
Elizabeth Stribling and Jean Guillaume De Tocqueville attend French Heritage Society 2025 New York Gala on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
Following the presentation, guests enjoyed a spirited live auction led by Nick Dawes, Vice President of Heritage Auctions, which generated excitement and generous bids. The cocktail hour was lively to the music of the Alex Donner Orchestra before dinner followed by an afterparty with DJ Olivier Meiji, keeping the crowd energized past midnight.
Notable attendees included FHS Board Members Rosann Gutman, Kazie Metzger Harvey, Ken Hausman, Isabelle de Laroullière, Maureen Nash, George Sape, Charlotte Vignon, and Jaqueline Wilson. They were joined by an elegant crowd of supporters such as Michelle and Douglas Ayres, Erin and Christophe Berthoux, Yann Coatanlem, Susan Gutfreund, Scott and Monica Laurans, Barbara Tober, and many more.
Proceeds from the evening support FHS’s mission to preserve French architectural heritage in France and the United States, educate future preservationists, and promote French-American cultural exchange. The organization looks ahead to a vibrant slate of upcoming events in Palm Beach, Paris, and beyond as it continues its 43-year legacy of restoration, education, and international friendship.
Jean Shafiroff, Camelia Entekhabifard and Malan Breton attend French Heritage Society 2025 New York Gala on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
Talyn Chaglasian and Nyree Simone attend french-heritage-society-gala on November 12, 2025. (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
Timothy Corrigan. Denis De Kergorlay, Elizabeth Stribling, Jean Guillaume De Tocqueville and Jennifer Herlein attend French Heritage Society 2025 New York Gala on November 13, 2025. (Photo by Patrick McMullan/PMC)
Randy Fishburn, Annie Fitzpatrick at French Heritage Society 2025 New York Gala on November 12, 2025 ©Patrick McMullan
Photo – Jared Siskin/PMC
DJ Olivier Meiji Photo by Andrew Werner
February 15, 2026 – Palm Beach Gala at Club Colette
April 6, 2026 – Palm Beach Luncheon at Swifty’s at The Colony
May 20, 2026 – Diner des Mécènes at Cercle de l’Union Interalliée, Paris
May 20-22, 2025 – FHS Members’ Trip to Paris
About French Heritage Society
Open to all lovers of France, French Heritage Society aims to ensure that the treasures of French architectural and cultural heritage survive to delight, educate and inspire future generations. Over the past 43 years, FHS has awarded over $16M to more than 700 restoration and cultural grants to properties throughout France and in the United States. FHS has also selected and supported nearly 600 university students who have crossed the Atlantic for internships at esteemed institutions. FHS has 12 chapters, 11 in the U.S. and one in Paris, and membership includes access to all.