Photographer Claiborne Swanson Frank

At the very much Truffle-approved home of Ruthie Sommers in historic Hancock Park, a book party was held for Assouline’s newest title AMERICAN BEAUTY. A slew of ex SF-ers and New Yorkers hosted the night led by former Vogue editor Lauren Santo Domingo and her auction-shopping site Moda Operandi who sponsored the event. AMERICAN BEAUTY consists of 100 stunning portraits of America’s new creative guard shot by Vogue contributing photographer Claiborne Swanson Frank, who will soon be making the move to L.A., and co-produced by Genevieve Bahrenburg.

Portraits are previewed on the Assouline website and include songstress Lily Aldridge, CNN’s Alina Cho, former Vogue girl  Serena Nikkhah (also former VIP Relations director at Harrison & Shriftman), model-turned-vintner Michele Ouellet, and J Crew’s creative director Jenna Lyons.

The red-and-white striped American flag (which was featured on the cover of the book), draped over the trees greeting guests as they entered Sommers’ self designed 4th Street home. The alluring combo of music and lit-up trees around the pool was a nurturing sight even from the valet. Over 150 guests nestled under the stars among fresh cut florals, citrus fruits and hundreds of candles surrounded the estate. Claiborne was dressed in a white eyelet sundress; her husband James Frank recently accepted a position handling finance/money management  for Ron Burkle – thus their move out West.

Food: ”Deconstructed-BLTs,” meaning baby tomatoes stuffed with all the ingredients found in a bacon lettuce tomato sandwich (possible the bread was missing) were amoung the more customary cheese puffs and nano grilled cheese sandwiches (with the crusts cut off).

Party Favors: Gift bags lined the front walk each with a tissue covered copy of AMERICAN BEAUTY for the friends and family.

Truffle Notes: Many ladies were trailing in from a series of fall previews held earlier at the Chateau Marmont that day including Olivier Theskens who showed his new line for Theskyn’s Theory and jeweler Eddie Borgo who won CFDA last year. Meanwhile around the pool, repeat comments were overhead of the days’ Nick Rhodes (Duran Duran) sightings, who is in town.

Guest List: Hostesses featured in AMERICAN BEAUTY included actress Lake Bell, stylist and television personality Mary Alice Haney, designers Jenni Kayne and Minnie Mortimer, Chiara de Rege and interior designer Ruthie Sommers. Other “beauties” included Anne Crawford, designer Kendall Conrad, interior designer Elizabeth Dinkel, designers Emily Current and Meritt Elliott, interior designer Oliver Furth, filmmaker Liz Goldwyn, decorator Georgia Tapert Howe, Alexandra Kimball, Amber Mead Hindley, Moda Operandi Fashion Director Roopal Patel, Hollyhock owner Suzanne Rheinstein, Shiva Rose, stylist Jessica de Ruiter, Bee Shaffer, interior designers Hillary Thomas, Jay Penske & Elaine Irwin Mellencamp, John Schaeffer &  Zoe Walden Schaeffer, E! Fashion Policeman George Kotsiopoulos, Cameron Silver, Magda Berliner, Kimberly Bini & Mark Sanke, Justin Leightstein, Will Kopelman & Adrian Muzinich, Derek Blasberg, Helen Kinear, Shannon Binder, Jenny Bulushi, Shannon Rotenberg, Nathan Turner, Nicole Simone, Jill Roberts, Lisa Davis, Frank Candid, Marlien Rentmeester, Matt Rubinger, Shane Baum, Tom Davidov, Vena Cava designer Sophie Suhai, Veronica Beard,, little girls in Sally Draper dresses, and the house Daschund.

Copies of AMERICAN BEAUTY, including a limited number signed by the hosts, are available on the extremelyyyyy Truffle-approved website Moda Operandi at http://modaoperandi.com/assouline-american-beauty-pre-spring-2013/looks/assouline-american-beauty-13123/

More Truffle Notes:

American Beauty is a unique tribute to a fascinating group of women who are the “next gen” establishing their creativity in the fields of publishing, fashion, fine art, Internet, business, photography, music, film, jewelry, dance, interior design, and philanthropy.

Moda Operandi is the first online luxury fashion retailer to allow customers to pre-order tomorrow’s styles today. Launched in 2011 with a vision to empower fashion aficionados worldwide, Moda Operandi works with top designers such as Marc Jacobs, Isabel Marant and Proenza Schouler to provide insider access to complete, unedited collections months before anywhere else. For more information, visit www.modaoperandi.com.

TWITTER INFO: American Beauty portraits: @serenanikk1 @solangeknowles @erinfetherston Ferebee Taube of @feytsocial @KISSSER @joansmalls1 @AlinaChoCNN Jenna Lyons of @Jcrew_Insider @AssoulinePub

Claiborne’s website: http://claiborneswansonfrank.com/

www.assouline.com

Lauren Santo Domingo & Marlien Rentmeester, Claiborne Swanson Frank & Genevieve Bahrenburg

Lauren Santo Domingo & Claiborne Swanson Frank, Jay Penske & Elaine Irwin Mellencamp

Shiva Rose

Lauren Santo Domingo & Claiborne Swanson Frank, Tom Davidov & Mary Alice Haney

Bee Shaffer & Claiborne Swanson Frank, Kendall Conrad & George Kotsiopoulos

Book launch for American Beauty

American Beauty

Pics from photographer Wireimage photog Charley Gallay, and Caroline Roman of The Daily Truffle