In 2010, Dr. Penny Grant became one of the first Board Certified Child Abuse Pediatricians. “This meant I was officially a specialist in the diagnosis and treatment of child abuse,” she said. “But, what was I doing about the treatment part?” The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NYSPCC) was her answer. As a Board Member, Dr. Grant brought her high profile group literally to their tables. Now she is bringing NYSPCC the Hamptons. She launched their first East End event at Daniela Zahradnikova’s Space 16, a fulcrum of fashion, art and philanthropy that has been hosting some of the liveliest soirees of this season. The evening was also the debut of couturier Victor de Sousa’s Spring 2016 line and an exhibition of the large abstract canvases of Jeffrey Terreson.
“The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children is a very long name but we are an agency with a long legacy,” Dr Grant told Hamptons.com. “We were the first agency that came forth to protect children and we continue the tradition of helping heal children and families by providing free unlimited counseling seven days a week, in English and in Spanish, no charge, to victims of child abuse, domestic violence, child neglect and trauma. We have a prestigious national institute of health grant, that critically analyses what we do, so we know what we do works.”
Having gotten the message, we turned to the medium. Beautiful women were swanning around the room in Victor’s creations, as if models in a Neiman Marcus luncheon, animated by the quality of the couturier’s high end ruffles, sparkles and silks. “The collection is inspired by Hawaii and surfers,” he told us. “I imagine the idea of a lady stranded in Hawaii.” He pointed to a coral on white motif he compared to reefs and a confection that was inspired by Hawaiian sugar canes. de Sousa’s winter collection will be in Space 16’s Soho store.
Attendees included Kimberly Guilfoyle, Jean Shafiroff, Dustin Lujan, Sara Herbert-Galloway, Rita Cosby, Nicole Noonan, Nicole DiCooco, Consuelo Vanderbilt, Dawne Marie Grannum, and the beautiful Marks family: Adam, Joy, Alan, Alana and Jonathan.
For more information about The New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, visit www.nyspcc.org.