MEATPACKING DISTRICT — For those who can't get enough of its tony boutiques and booming nightclubs, a "mini-Meatpacking District" is coming to the neighborhood's cobblestone streets next month — courtesy of designer Diane von Furstenberg and other fashion world leaders.
Co-hosted by the locally based fashion queen and Theory CEO Andrew Rosen, a fundraiser on March 18 for the Meatpacking District Improvement Association will combine a Standard Hotel beer garden, sample sale booths from brands including Helmut Lang and Tory Burch, and 16 restaurants including Buddakan and Pastis, all under one roof.
In a departure from the standard sit-down gala, the Open Market event at Highline Stages will encourage attendees to walk through and "experience" the two-floor space, MPIA executive director Lauren Danziger said Tuesday.
"People can expect to see something incredible, a mini-Meatpacking District in one space," she said.
Local stores and restaurants will set up shop at the 441 W. 14th St. venue in booths built from wooden pallets and corrugated iron.
"We're paying homage visually to the look of the Meatpacking District," Danziger added.
Von Furstenberg, whose company DVF holds a seat on MPIA's board, said Open Market pays tribute to the best of an area known for its high style.
“I am honored to host the first annual Open Market and to celebrate the Meatpacking District," the designer said in a statement. "It is a very vibrant neighborhood, home to my headquarters and a very exciting part of NY."
General admission tickets cost $150 each and allow access from 8 to 11 p.m. VIP tickets for $350 let visitors in an hour early. All tickets include food and drinks.
The Misshapes, J.D. Samson and Nancy will provide the soundtrack for the evening with DJ sets.
Proceeds from the event by MPIA, which is a donation-based nonprofit, will be used to maintain the Meatpacking District's seven public plazas and fund future programs to be determined in cooperation with residents.
These could include planting additional trees in the area or restoring the neighborhood's signatures cobblestones, Danziger said.
