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Inside a Laid-Back, Laurel Canyon Dinner Party
The designers Chelsea Hansford and Daniel Corrigan of Simon Miller showcased their fall/winter 2018 collection in the form of a dinner at home — and offered tips for entertaining.
After two years of co-creative-directing the brand Simon Miller long-distance, the Los Angeles-based Daniel Corrigan and his New York-based partner Chelsea Hansford finally closed the gap between them. Last November, Hansford and her husband, Grégoire Gamba — the leather artisan behind the label’s handbags and accessories — moved their leather atelier (and their bulldog, Marcel) from their NoHo loft to join Corrigan on the West Coast. In Laurel Canyon, they found the quintessential L.A. dream: a midcentury home with floor-to-ceiling views of the Hollywood Hills.
“I found it online, and took it right away; I didn’t even see it in person,” says Hansford. “We were ready for a new perspective, and L.A. had enough creative energy, so I jumped.”
“I said Chelsea, you can give yourself a little time,” adds Corrigan. “But that’s how Chelsea works. We basically redid our whole studio, built Grégoire’s leather atelier, and set up this house in two weeks.”
On Friday, Hansford and Gamba threw a housewarming dinner that doubled as a fashion presentation. As chef Alina Hardin prepared a family-style feast and musician Charles Derenne played an acoustic set of classic rock, their 28 guests — the gallerist Hannah Hoffman, the stylist Brie Welch and the singer-songwriter Lorely Rodriguez among them — arrived in looks from “Pop,” Simon Miller’s fall/winter 2018 collection. Inspired by the devil-may-care optimism of Françoise Hardy-era Paris, the collection distills tailored suits, circular clip-on purses and shearling coats into blocks of cobalt blues, cherry reds and mustard yellows.
The classic Cadillacs that delivered guests to the party — as well as the primary-colored arrangements on the dinner table, created by floral designer Sophia Moreno-Bunge — matched both the collection and the prevailing midcentury feel of Hansford’s new hillside home, a total 180-degree turn from her former urban life. Here she explains how the event capitalized on the unique perks — and setbacks — of hosting in the Hollywood Hills.
Serve a Little Something for Everyone
“I don’t eat dairy. I’m a vegan. I’m a pescatarian. I only eat whole grains,” says Hansford, reeling off the list of her guests’ dietary restrictions. A universal fact of hosting is that you’ll have to gracefully accommodate multiple guests with specific food preferences — and sometimes many at once. (It’s good practice to ask for their dietary restrictions in advance.) Hansford’s menu included a spread of salads, crudités and pickled vegetables, plus grilled shrimp and steamed king crab legs for pescatarians and pink peppercorn steak for meat-eaters. For those not partaking in alcohol, an on-site mixologist served non-alcoholic cocktails of turmeric, ginger and cardamom. “I wanted to offer a healthy option,” says Hansford, “something without alcohol but still felt special.”
Make Sure Your Guests Can Get There
The size and topography of L.A. are a perennial obstacle to getting guests together, particularly on the winding, narrow roads that lead to Hansford’s house. “People couldn’t drive here,” she says. “They’d get stuck!” If you live somewhere inaccessible, let guests know about parking options in advance — or suggest that they plan to ride together or take an Uber. For the special occasion, Hansford hired a few 1968 Cadillac DeVilles to chauffeur her guests. Their black, white and red color palette matched the collection — and, as a bonus, the cars ensured that everyone would arrive and be seated for dinner on time.
Keep the Doors and Windows Open, if You Can
During dinner, Hansford opened sliding windows that overlooked the hillside, and left doors open to welcome guests to a roaring firepit on the patio, as well as an outdoor walkway that led to the lower level of the house. “I like that feeling of open air,” she said. “Closed doors and closed windows create confined environments, while an open energy allows people to explore, and opens them up to conversation.”
Don’t Be Afraid to Mix Up Guests
“The key to an interesting dinner is splitting up the people who know each other,” says Corrigan, in order to avoid cliques. Corrigan and Hansord sat separate from their spouses, intermingling with their eclectic mix of guests: A singer sat next to a floral designer and a filmmaker next to a gallerist. “What everyone does have in common is a relationship to Simon Miller,” Corrigan adds, “so it’s only three degrees of separation.”
Serve Family Style
With “Break Bread” as the official mantra of the evening, passing and sharing added a sense of conviviality to the table. “Don’t forget to dip,” Hansford reminded her guests, pointing to the small bowls of chive emulsion, ponzu and skordalia, a Greek garlic dip, scattered between plates of homemade breads and fresh vegetables.
Give Them Something to Remember You By
Each place-setting included a small vase for guests to take home, hand-sculpted by the ceramist Cassie Griffin, painted to match the primary hues of the collection, and filled with water lilies and Icelandic poppies by floral designer Sophia Moreno-Bunge. “It’s just a little reminder,” says Hansford. “It keeps guests inspired by the event even after they go home.”
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