Simon Doonan Window-Dresses W Washington, D.C.; Book Signing Party Draws Fashionable Crowd!

NORTHWEST -- Washingtonians were flying fashionably high yesterday evening, as the W Washington, D.C.’s top floor “Altitude” ballroom played host to author and Barneys New York Creative Ambassador-at-Large Simon Doonan.

Kristin Guiter, Melanie Kimmelman, and Betsy Lowther.
Just the latest installment of the hotel’s exclusive ‘W Happenings’ series of cultural events (e.g., music, fashion, art, etc.) designed to entice area residents to spend more time at the property, Wednesday night’s party showcased Doonan’s latest book, Gay Men Don’t Get Fat, which was released less than a month ago.

The tongue-in-cheek self-described “fierce and fabulous” take on what it takes to achieve a fashionably glamorous lifestyle is his fifth literary work and caps a creative career that has seen Doonan pen lifestyle columns for The New York Observer and Slate, as well as guest star on a variety of popular TV shows (e.g., Gossip Girl, Iron Chef, etc.).

The Altitude Ballroom of the W Washington, D.C. hotel.
Doonan first moved to the United States from England in 1978 as a window dresser for the Los Angeles-based Maxfield department store. He then made the jump to Barneys eight years later and has been working with them ever since.

Kate Bennett, Susanna Quinn, and Elizabeth Thorp.
And close to a hundred fashionable D.C. residents turned-out last night to meet the cultural icon, purchase an autographed copy of his book, and otherwise enjoy an evening of specialty cocktails and fashionable fun.

Karen Sommer Shalett and Barbara Martin.
We spotted everyone from The Washington Post Opinion Writer Jonathan Capehart to much sought after interior designers Skip Sroka and Joseph Ireland to DC Magazine Editor-in-Chief Karen Sommer Shalett to Capitol File Magazine Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Sarah Schaffer and Kate Bennett, respectively, to writer Susanna Quinn to the Corcoran’s Kristin Guiter, Rachel Cothran, and Melanie Kimmelman mingling about.

Alton Lane co-founders Colin Hunter and Peyton Jenkins flank Facebook Public Policy Communications Manager Andrew Noyes.
Colin Hunter and Peyton Jenkins, co-founders of Dupont-based custom-made men’s clothing label Alton Lane, were also in attendance and even gifted two lucky attendees with personally tailored shirts, in the stylish spirit of the event.

Interior and home furnishing designer Jonathan Adler, who also happens to be Doonan’s husband (they were married in 2008), was perhaps the second most popular person in the room for the occasion and could be found admiring many of the H.BLOOM decorative flower arrangements that lined the walls and tables, including a soon-to-be-revealed Valentine’s Day one that was curated by Doonan and will include a Jonathan Adler vase and a copy of the book.

Simon Doonan and Jonathan Adler.
A marriage made in (skinny) heaven, right?