Friends of Diane von Furstenberg SXSW Armadillo Trio Shirt . closed out the weekend in style, toasting the unofficial beginning of summer and the newly opened Statue of Liberty Museum. The festivities took place on Liberty Island, which was closed to the public yesterday evening

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Giving friends of the designer unprecedented access to Lady Liberty—a monument von Furstenberg has championed through her philanthropic endeavors by raising an astounding $100 million for the museum SXSW Armadillo Trio Shirt . Fran Lebowitz, Steven Kolb, and Anh Duong were just a handful of the guests who turned out to celebrate. “To me, it’s incredibly moving,” said Lebowitz of the monument and the occasion to celebrate with von Furstenberg. The festivities began with a private ferry ride to the island from lower Manhattan. Once docked on Liberty Island, guests enjoyed the waterfront views; some took advantage of the rare chance to embark on a 377-step (or 20-story) climb to the apex of Lady Liberty’s crown. Others took the chance to relax on the sundeck of the Statue of Liberty Museum and catch up with the designer. She’s had a packed agenda as of late: the museum fêted its grand opening just two weeks ago, and tonight, she will partake in the 2019 CFDA Fashion Awards—her last event as chair of the council. Regrouped and refreshed with Paloma cocktails and rosé, the crowd then headed indoors for an intimate tour of the Statue of Liberty Museum. Von Furstenberg called special attention to the glittering stars adorning the museum’s entrance; created by Duong, von Furstenberg secured $2 million donations per star to support building efforts. Park rangers then directed the group through an immersive and touching exhibition on the statue’s history. “Being who you are, I think that’s what the Statue of Liberty really stands for,” said CFDA president and CEO Steven Kolb. “I’m just glad to be here and have one more night with Diane before her chairmanship concludes, and in this special, wonderful place.” After the tour, the group sat down for an al fresco, picnic-style dinner on the terrace of the island’s Crown Cafe. As most of the guests took their seats to settle in for the meal, von Furstenberg visited each table to greet and thank the attendees.