Frieze New York will force plenty of art world notables onto Randall's Island ferries next week, but one visitor may be more notable than the rest. As the boat leaves the dock, you might look to your left and see divisive pop star Lana Del Rey.
Mulberry, the nostalgia-steeped British luxury brand sponsoring the Cecilia Alemani-curated Projects section of the first Frieze New York, will be bringing the much-debated crooner to perform during a dinner in honor of the fair on May 4, WWD reported today. No word on where the bash will be held, but the invites will certainly be hard to come by.
It's not the first collaboration between the high-end handbag purveyor and the polarizing songstress. At February’s London Fashion Week, Mulberry lured Lana Del Rey across the Pond to act as a sort of mascot for their Autumn/Winter 2012 line. The singer sat front row next to “Downton Abbey” cast members and Hollywood starlets, and performed an acoustic set at the Saville Club dinner. She was even honored with the release of her own handbag, The Del Rey. That's no small honor: Mulberry's Alexa bag, named for beloved waif Alexa Chung, caused something of a sensation upon its release.
For Lana, the timing of that particular appearance couldn't have been better. After a meteoric rise to fame, an atrocious performance on Saturday Night Live left her out of favor with some of her countrymen, and a spot next to Michelle Williams by the runway was just the damage control she needed.
There's no word whether Ms. Del Rey will grace the actual fair with her presence. (And, really, would anyone notice either way?) But for those making the trip to and from the remote location, just know that there's a certain ferry-appropriate bag that can tote all of your belongings. Ignore the off-key warbling, and you're set.