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 While it’s still fresh
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| Looking towards Central Park South from within Central Park. 1:30 PM. Photo: JH. |
Tuesday, January 25, 2011. Cold in New York with the weather uncertain about the “storm” coming our way: will or won’t it, is it or isn’t it?
Before I forget. All you Finchies out there: tomorrow night, January 26th, one of your distinguished alumns, Linda Purl, is making her debut at Feinstein’s at the Regency, appearing for two nights only. The opening night proceeds are going to the Finch College Alumnae Foundation, and I know just from NYSD readers how supportive Finchies are of their alma mater. Feinstein’s reservation line: 212-330-4045. I’m going on Thursday night. I think Tom Wopat is making an appearance and that Linda’s ex-sister-in-law Lucie Arnaz will be there, along with Judith Regan, Richard Thomas, and a distinguished roster of Finch alumnae.
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| Alexandra Peterson and William Cart. |
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First. Also, while it’s still fresh, last Thursday night at Doubles, the private club in the Sherry Netherland, Catherine Slavonia and Andre Boissier hosted a reception to celebratethe engagement of their goddaughter Alexandra Peterson, daughter of Paige Peterson and David Peterson (and sister of Peter Cary Peterson, the actor) to William Cart, son of Sarah and Ben Cart.
NYSD readers may be familiar with Alexandra’s mother Paige who has appeared in the HOUSE section and has also taken our Thanksgiving Day parade pictures for the past few years.
The couple started dating nine years ago at the Millbrook School. Alexandra is Chief of Staff at G2 Investment Group. She graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in International Relations, Political Science and Latin American studies.
William is an actor. He studied at the British American Drama Academy and graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles. He also works at Prudential Douglas Elliman in New York City.
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| Alexandra Peterson and William Cart. |
| William's grandmother, Carol McCarty, looking at Alexandra's ring. |
| Chris Whittle, Paige Peterson, Anna Strasberg, and Michael Schultz. |
| Trevor Atwell and Rob Cox. |
Charlie Moss. |
| Christopher Cerf and Harry Hurt III. |
| Peggy Noonan, Paige Peterson, and Connie Wiley. |
| Michael Carlisle and Susan Cheever. |
John Jakobson. |
| Arthur Elgort and Grethe Holby. |
| Joan Jakobson and Doug Leeds. |
| Susan Calhoun and Connie Wiley. |
| Eric Morgan and Sandra Boissier. |
| Laurie Everson, Nancy Collins, and Heidi Geist. |
| Nneya Richards and Naomi Bishop. |
| William Cart, Anna Kennedy Safir, and Michael Safir. |
| Dan Kessler and William Cart. |
| Alexandre Leviant and John de Neufville. |
| Douglas Friedman, Paige Peterson, and Catherine Slavonia. |
| Jason Binn, Paige Peterson, Bruce Colley, and Teresa Colley. |
| Jim Peterson and Tara Peters. |
| Alexandra and Will on the dance floor at the after party. Click above to watch video. |
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And Last, Artists and Models. Designer Bill Dugan’s memorial was held last night at his old friend Ralph Rucci’s studio in SoHo. I met Bill and his then wife Nancy North in the early 90s through our mutual friend, Beth DeWoody. I was not aware at the time how they were very much a part of a culture that was flourishing in 1970's New York and known to all of us.
Bill had been, during those years, Halston’s assistant designer. Halston was then the most famous American fashion designer in the world. He became a celebrity to the younger sets because of his relationship to the habitués of Studio 54 including Truman Capote, Andy Warhol, Liza Minnelli, Bianca Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, Steve Rubell.
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| Portrait of William Steele Dugan, 1946-2010, given out at the memorial. |
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| Bill Dugan at the Halston screening, 2010. |
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To the gazing public it was the glamorous New York champagne life, fast and shimmering. The cocaine life too. However, the underside was a rough one. Greeks bearing gifts: Fame and Fortune brought excess. Drugs and alcohol. It was the man but it was also the times. At his zenith professionally, Halston was already on what was to be a remarkably long descent that ended as tragedy; a great life that was not a good one after all.
Bill Dugan was in his late 20s and early 30s during those heady days. Halston respected him. His circumspect personality was the perfect foil for the flamboyant celebrity designer who knew he could depend on him.
Anyone who worked closely with Halston had entrée to the younger, hip circles of New York. The fashion crowd ruled the social scene. All of that was a long time ago by anyone’s calendar. It is still vivid in memory to those of us who were around and taking it all in.
A lot of Bill’s and Nancy’s friends were there last night to remember and talk about Bill who died of liver failure on Christmas Eve.
Pat Cleveland was there last night, and Karen Bjornson (who appeared on the cover of Time wearing the first Halston ultrasuede dress – which sold 80,000 dresses), Andre Leon Talley, Sassy Johnson, Rosina Rucci, David Croland, a niece of Halston’s, as well as Nancy North, and some of Bill’s family members.
The photograph that was given to each of us as we arrived at the Rucci studio shows a seriously contemplative man. Most likely he was, but to be in his company was to be with a genial, amused and gracious fellow who liked people. In his older years, although still youthful, he developed a bit of a courtliness. There was no air or attitude about him. The photo I took of him last year at the “Halston” documentary screening is how he looked. The smiling face.
Dennis Christopher, a longtime friend going back to the Halston days was the main speaker and he spoke to everyone with familiarity. It was then I realized that this group of fifty or sixty friends were all inter-related through their New York lives. Now in their fifties and sixties, many have known each other for much of their adult lives, and much through this man called Halston. Less than six degrees. |
| Bill and Nancy North in 2009. |
Pat Cleveland and daughter. |
| Sassy Johnson and Nancy North. |
Rosina Rucci with Sassy Johnson. |
Bill Dugan was one of those guys who had a lot of friends who really liked him. He was a gentle soul. He loved to dance. Pat Cleveland spoke and burst out laughing recalling how much fun it was to dance with him. And they were always dancing. Artists and models.
He was forthright and frank but always a gentleman. His friends recalled him along with the good times they shared over the past three decades.
He and Nancy were married for 27 years. They were divorced about fifteen years ago but had remained good friends. He was her closest friend, she told us last night. Nancy regards herself as a survivor of that time and that life. She’s about to write a book about it.
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| Ralph Rucci Studio last night before the service. |
Dennis Christopher told us, in opening the evening that Bill went to Albany on the Christmas holiday weekend to visit his brother and sister and their families. It was the first time he had been with all of them including grandchildren and nieces and nephews.
He wasn’t feeling well although he didn’t complain. He told his sister that his stomach had been bothering him. He hadn’t been to the doctor. The night before Christmas Eve he threw up blood and was taken to the hospital. The tests found liver damage and it was fatal. They told him he was going to die. He was given medication for his pain. All of his family was with him. He died peacefully on Christmas Eve, having thanked everyone of his family members, along with a wink to the children, for being there with him. That was Bill. Courtliness. He was sixty-four. |
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