“La Dolce Vita” for Lenox Hill Spring Gala 2025. That was the theme that inspired this year’s event at the iconic location of the Cipriani 42nd Street, in which gusto, sophistication and elegance celebrated Italian “living” and served as the backdrop for the fundraiser for the Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, a nonprofit organization that helps more than 16,000 low-income families, seniors, the homeless and immigrants each year by providing essential services for their needs.
It is a true tribute to Italian culture and craftsmanship the table that speaks of authentic beauty, created by Sarah Baderna Studio, a renowned interior design firm with offices in New York and Milan, for one of the hottest events in the New York philanthropic scene: The Lenox Hill Spring Gala 2025.
Sarah Baderna Studio: the signature of a timeless Italian vision
Founded by Italian interior designer Sarah Baderna, the eponymous company is now considered a benchmark of refined, emotional and narrative design that weaves together culture, materials and tradition.
“We believe that beauty lies in the invisible details and history of each object“, says Baderna, who was assisted in this extraordinary work by her colleague Matilde Droz Blanc for the entire concept, from the creative idea to the selection of materials.
“For this project“, the designer continues, “we chose to avoid any visual clichés related to the Made in Italy, taking a quiet, almost meditative approach. Each element was carefully selected to evoke an authentic, cultured and artisanal Italy.”
A material and symbolic account of Italy
The table of Baderna is a true sensory journey, where each element tells of Italy through the material, history and refinement of the craftsmanship. The undisputed queen is the tablecloth, made of Amoir Libre by Dedar Milan, a fluid, iridescent moiré fabric that captures light like water in the sun, evoking movement and poetry. Completing the mise en place are embroidered virgin wool napkins, also by Dedar, whose texture enriches the visual narrative, blending textile tradition and contemporaneity.
The trimmings, created by Mordini Genoa, a historic business in the Ligurian capital, adds a touch of understated theatricality: small embroidered fans and tassels in burgundy and golden beige tones create an elegant and dynamic visual rhythm. The glasses, carved from Carrara marble and brass by FiammettaV, surprise with their finesse and originality, combining modern forms with ancient materials in sculptural and functional objects. The cutlery, belonging to the Natura collection of Casa Bugatti, are inspired instead by the lightness of a blade of grass in spring, boasting a sleek, sinuous design that earned it the prestigious Red Dot Award 2025.
The napkin rings, made by Foglizzo, combine stainless steel and eggplant leather, blend fine materials with clean, contemporary lines, suitable for all kinds of settings. Finally, the plates hold an affective and familiar history. They are part of the private collection of Erika Norèn, entrepreneur and friend of the studio, and are ceramics produced in Faenza in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Exhibited for the first time in public during the Gala, they represent a bridge between memory and the present.
At the center of the table, an outstanding protagonist: the red radicchio. A powerful and poetic color choice to evoke the Veneto and a cuisine that emphasizes seasonality and tradition and gives us, as the designers explain, “a whisper of Italy that is less conspicuous, but deeper.”
An event between design, solidarity and community
The Lenox Hill Spring Gala 2025 brought together over 40 designers and brands, featuring such iconic figures as. Christopher Spitzmiller (Honorary Design Chair), Lindsey Coral Harper and Harry Heissmann (Design Chairs).
The event celebrated the contributions of Dusty Philip e Warren B. Scharf, two pillars of the community, demonstrating once again how creativity can support outreach.
In this context, Sarah Baderna Studio did not simply set a table, but staged a cultural, valuable, timeless and deeply human spectacle. A project that celebrates beauty as a silent narrative, as care and as a conscious act.
In an evening where luxury is measured by authenticity and elegance is married to civic engagement, the voice of Italy resounded clear and distinct, to honor its craftsmanship through skilled hands and stories handed down. An Italy that, thanks to realities like that of Sarah Baderna Studio, continues to be an example of excellence, elegance, style and substance.
At last but not least, La Dolce Vita conquered New York with Sarah Baderna enchanting the Lenox Hill Spring Gala with a tribute to authentic Italy. What else?
