Stacey Bendet, Georgina ChapmanBrendon Cook/BFA.com
In a grand apartment known far and wide for its elaborate fashion fetes, Stacey Bendet’s Upper West Side home played backdrop for a different kind of party on Wednesday evening. A small ensemble of familiar faces, including co-host Georgina Chapman, gathered for an intimate get-together highlighting a poignant cause: the Magic Bus India Foundation.
“There is nothing more meaningful than bringing people you admire together for a cause that truly matters—I’m proud to bring this special organization, Magic Bus, to my friends in New York,” the Alice + Olivia designer told Vogue. “Georgina’s commitment to Magic Bus and the young people it serves in India is really inspiring, and I am so grateful she invited me to be part of this evening.”
Founder Matthew Spacie explained to guests how the non-profit, which began in 1999, has transformed the lives of over three million people once living in poverty; guiding them from childhood through adulthood by providing education, life skills, and, eventually, employability. The organization also ensures 98% of children finish school, and will this year place 250,000 of them in meaningful careers. “One of the reasons I chose to support the charity is because 91% of all funds raised goes to creating an inter-generational impact,” Bendet added.
Following a brief, animated cocktail hour underneath the apartment’s stately Rezzonico Murano glass chandelier, attendees listened intently to a salon-style presentation about the organization. “I tried to establish a children’s home in India, but I faced so many struggles doing it,” Chapman recalled. “From corruption to not knowing where the money was going, I was swimming in a sea of wanting to do good—but not knowing how. And that’s how I came across Matthew and his incredible organization.” Now a board member for the foundation, Chapman added: “It was the first time that I had transparency and had confidence in what an organization was doing to help the children in India.”
Spacie spoke further about how the Foundation empowers young people across India and Southeast Asia through education and training. To him, it all comes down to innovation and communication; you can’t just connect someone to a job or school and hope for the best—real change comes from thoughtfully guiding them through the entire process.
The array of attendees were rapt: Adrien Brody watched attentively near the ornate banquet table, Deborra-Lee Furness asked questions from her perch on the velvet sage couch, and next to her, Helena Christensen was deeply immersed in the educational video that Spacie played. And not to be missed were Blue the dog and Princess the cat, silently slinking about.
The presentation came to a close, chatter resumed, but Bendet was still left with a feeling of wanting to do more—prompting her to ask Spacie if she could connect her label with the organization to offer employment opportunities to the program’s participants. “Of course,” he said, delighted, which encouraged others in the room to raise their hand to help too.
