The Notorious B.E.V.Y.: Bevy Smith Dishes On Budget Entertaining
When you're a high-powered publishing executive with a discerning eye for style and a Rolodex that reads like front row at a Marc Jacobs show, what do you do for your second act? For the dynamic Bevy Smith, the answer was to pair her talent as a social conduit with her flair for entertaining and create Dinner With Bevy, a luxury social marketing enterprise that brings together the worlds of fashion, art, music, and media in a delectable, custom salon. Smith, a former Rolling Stone Fashion Ad Director and Vibe Fashion Editor-at-Large, hosts her impeccably curated fetes for celebrities, brands, and tastemakers seeking organic creative connections in a pressure-free environment. On any given evening, you might see Solange Knowles giggling with Paper Magazine Editor-in-Chief Mickey Boardman, or singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton grooving to the sounds of "Late Night" band master and FOB (Friend of Bevy) Questlove with a Vice President from Miu Miu, Giorgio Armani, or Bottega Veneta, all of whom are among the many who have attended Bevy's dinners. "The best part about hosting dinner parties is when my seating chart is a success. To get a call from a guest the next day saying, 'I absolutely LOVED [xxx]!' is the ultimate kudos for me!" Bevy, who is also working on a style show pilot for the Oxygen Network, relies on classic Emily Post, Diana Vreeland's "Why Don't You..." tips, and the swinging gaiety of the 1950s and 60s for style cues. "Whenever I see a movie from that era, or look at a Slim Aarons photograph, I'm instantly inspired by the light-hearted, fun way folks used to entertain! Let's get drunk, smoke, and swap partners--but do so in a chic environment, " she says with a wink and a laugh. "Very 'Breakfast at Tiffany's!'" And who's on Bevy's personal ultimate guest list? "Nelson Mandela, Diana Vreeland, Michael Jackson, Albert Einstein, Truman Capote, and Bono--but even he would have to remove his shades!" Make room, Martha Stewart: Bevy is on a path to be our generation's hostess with the mostest! Check out the slideshow for a glimpse at some of Bevy's exclusive dinners. For more about Bevy, visit www.dinnerwithbevy.com!
