When she's not whipping up collections, designing custom red carpet looks, or making brides' dreams come true, Alexandra O'Neill can be found planning the cherry on top of her creative year: a Holiday tree. No stranger to collaborating on a fashionable and festive focal point, this year, O'Neill teamed up with The Mayflower Inn & Spa on a stunning 18-foot tree.
Naturally, the tree is a contender for best dressed. For the season, the classic Fir has been kitted out in ornaments, ribbons, and adornments inspired by the Markarian Fall Winter 2023 collection. There are sky blue baubles that nod to a cap sleeve gown, glittering bows that shimmer just like a silver sequin evening coat, and draped crimson ribbons that bring to mind a fan-favorite strapless chiffon mini dress from the line. The fun continues throughout the Washington, Connecticut, country retreat, too, with plenty of stockings rendered in Markarian Ikat fabric and wreaths jazzed up with the label's velvet vows on display.
To ring in the holidays and show off the tree in all its festive glory, O'Neill hosted a dinner party on Wednesday evening, inviting friends to decamp from the city to join her in the storybook-like Inn. As the Auberge Resorts-owned property is located two hours outside Manhattan, guests boarded Sprinter vans in looks from recent Markarian collections -- much to the delight of bemused gas station attendees when the group stopped for snacks at the halfway mark.
Once they reached the destination, it was time for a glass of Pinot Noir, a pomegranate margarita, or a spiced Bees Knees cocktail with gin and honey by the roaring fireplace and a closer look at the whimsical tree. And, if they were so inclined, a quick smooch underneath the mistletoe that's dotted around the hotel.
A seated dinner followed, with New England and seasonal classics on the menu, such as a duck egg country salad, roasted Sundance chicken and Branzino with squash, and a chocolate pot de creme with fruit compote for dessert. Thankfully, the end-of-night commute was much easier as satiated guests floated up the stairs to their four-poster beds.
Among those in attendance were O'Neill's fellow NYC-based designers, including Presley Oldham, Rachel Antonoff, Olivia Cheng of Dauphinette, and Rosie Assoulin, as well as actress Alessandra Ford Balazs, writer Natasha Stagg, entertainment exec Shari Bryant, painter Keelin Montzingo, and arts specialist Joanna Gong.