It’s a fact: fashion designers have good taste—and we don’t just mean the visuals they create. They actually employ every one of their five senses into all that they do. So, why wouldn’t we expect them to parlay their aesthetic wisdom and fantasy into what we imbibe? Here’s to these clever creators and their tasty alliances in the wine and spirits world!
Vera Wang
In case you thought Vera Wang dabbled mostly in bridal pursuits, reconsider how much she loves a good fête all around. This paramount fashion designer rejiggered the bridal industry in the 1990s; now, perhaps, she’ll redefine the world of bubbles. A promoter of art de vivre and big celebration, Vera Wang brings us Vera Wang Party, produced in collaboration with Piemonte-based wine producer Araldica and led by winemaker Claudio Manera. Applying her notable attention to detail, Vera Wang has steered Party every step of the way, from the grapes to the festive, matte silver bottle, sure to make a statement on every table. The personal invitation from Wang to celebrate life on the bottle’s backside only makes drinking it more entertaining. With devil-may-care spirit, Vera Wang’s Party suggests how to live our lives with bubbly in hand. “Why a prosecco?” she asks. “When I think of romance, fun, laughter, joy, friendship, I think of prosecco. It is the wine that personifies emotion and sheer happiness.”
Nicole Miller
This resplendent designer has a French heritage, so naturally, the first wine she’d launch would be this eponymous rosé from the vineyards of France. Touting the large amount of wine she pours for friends and colleagues in the summer in Sag Harbor as her first inspiration for this French wine, the ever-spellbinding fashionista, famous for her colorful neckties and flirty, form-fitting dresses, has said it was a dream to have her very own pink wine. Made in Bordeaux, her wine was crafted to have year-round appeal, and is meant to bring joie de vivre to all occasions. A melding of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet, it presents a sexy, diaphanous pink hue and tastes of electrifying strawberry, red currant, and tangerine, all fused with a subtle minerality—as clean-lined and sensuous as Miller’s clothes. Clear and crisp at the end, it pairs well with picnics and friends.
Susan Alexandra
New York-based Susan Alexandra, a firm founded by Susan Korn, specializes in bedazzlement, color, and that sort of conviviality that the Danish call hygge. No wonder Ketel One Botanical asked the designer to collaborate on a limited edition cocktail accessory collection to evoke more joy in our lives and make every night a special occasion. Featuring the designer’s bead-forward elements, beloved by celebrities such as Gigi Hadid, the handmade kit has been envisioned to pair perfectly with a Ketel One Botanical Spritz. Ideal for a hostess gift, it includes a beaded ice bucket, wine charms, and garnish-inspired barrettes. “Hosting and entertaining are my passion, as I’ve been a long time Ketel One lover,” says Susan Korn. “The full collection is rich in the Ketel One Botanical signature hues and is a breathtaking display of hand-beaded workmanship.”
Jeremy Scott
Some call American fashion designer Jeremy Scott, creative director of the fashion house Moschino and leader of his namesake label, “fashion’s last rebel.” Madonna, Lady Gaga, Kayne West, and Justin Bieber are among his clients. His edgy, irreverent designs, awash with pop culture images, cartoonish shapes, and bright colors, have made him a favorite with show business celebrities, in particular. Not surprising, in its annual enlistment of an artist to design a limited edition label, Ecco Domani picked Scott last summer to celebrate the Italian wine’s 25th anniversary. A big hit, the label drew from the designer’s nineties, graffiti-like aesthetic. Ecco Domani’s crisp Pinot Grigio hails from the Italian Tre Venezie region. Each year, the company taps an artist or designer to plot a collector’s art bottle. While Scott’s Ecco Domani label is still available in stores this month, oenophiles should be prepared to welcome the wine company’s newest designer next summer. Watch for that name to be announced in May.