In the heart of Toronto’s trendy Queen Street West on February 29, GREY GOOSE Vodka and FASHION united over their shared love of style and mixology through a chic cocktail party. Hosted at the luxurious And/Ore restaurant, the evening was a fusion of haute couture inspiration and cocktail mastery, where each sip told a story.
This special event was in celebration of a unique collaboration between FASHION and GREY GOOSE Vodka, which involved partnering with the luxury vodka brand’s global director of brand experience, Joe McCanta, to produce three cocktails inspired by FASHION’s favourite looks from the Paris Haute Couture Spring 2024 collections.
“At this intersection of fashion and mixology, we find a realm of endless creativity and innovation,” said George Antonopoulos, the senior creative director of FASHION, to party attendees during his opening remarks. “With GREY GOOSE Vodka, a brand synonymous with French luxury and sophistication, we embarked on a journey to reimagine the art of cocktails through the lens of haute couture.”
Upon arrival, guests were greeted with the first of three couture-inspired cocktails: “La Coquette.” A nod to Jean Paul Gaultier Maison’s couture collection designed by Simone Rocha, it was inspired by the style trend of sheer toile and transparent fabrics. It featured a fusion of GREY GOOSE Vodka, white peach purée, white grape juice, orange liqueur and a splash of freshly squeezed lemon juice, served in champagne flutes garnished with pink Himalayan salt and delicate white peach slices.
“Le Jardin,” a reflection of emerald green and nature motifs from HOMOLOG’s haute couture show, featured GREY GOOSE La Poire Vodka, fresh clear apple juice, acacia-honey syrup and freshly squeezed lime juice, all shaken with cucumber ice cubes. Served in tall Collins glasses adorned with fennel and dill fronds and baby basil leaves, it was a refreshing ode to the beauty of nature and flames.
Finally, “La Vie En Rose,” inspired by the romantic floral appliqué from Giambattista Valli’s collection, was a blend of GREY GOOSE Vodka with single-origin espresso, coffee liqueur and cardamom-infused agave syrup. Served in fine tulip-shaped glasses, garnished with white rose petals and whole cardamom pods, it was a sensory delight. And, according to Sam Trudeau, the Canadian advocacy lead at GREY GOOSE Vodka, “It wouldn’t really be a GREY GOOSE event if there wasn’t an espresso martini cocktail.”
Accompanying the cocktails were carefully curated canapés, including king oyster katsu mushroom sandwiches, crispy arancini and petits macarons. On the upper mezzanine level of the restaurant, guests were encouraged to sip and savour naturally tasteful GREY GOOSE at the vodka-tasting bar alongside a range of fresh oysters, before snapping a few photos in front of the Parisian Metro–inspired archway.
The ambience was a seamless blend of Paris Fashion Week and GREY GOOSE sophistication. As DJ Jon Daniels set the mood, the guests, some of Toronto’s most influential and fashionable creatives, were transported into a world of refined elegance. To further amplify the vibe and theme of the night, large prints of each cocktail and its inspired couture design adorned the walls of the restaurant, along with moody blue lighting and GREY GOOSE’s decorative touches throughout the space.
As the evening came to a close, generous gift bags containing GREY GOOSE Vodka, martini cocktail glasses, branded pins, olive picks and a cocktail-enhancing atomizer bottle were handed out to guests. The fusion of fashion, mixology and culinary artistry created an unforgettable experience, capturing the essence of haute couture in every sip and bite.
Vive la mode, vive la mixologie et vive la vodka!
