My designing friend Zang Toi was honored by a local chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans on Saturday. When he first found out he was going to receive OCA’s Dynamic Achiever award, he set about trying to organize his friends to attend the awards dinner in Tarrytown, N.Y. But getting 30 or more Manhattanites to agree to go to Tarrytown turned out to be no easy task. I told Zang that his only hope was to rent a bus. So he did!
Guests on the party bus. Photo courtesy Kevin Christensen.
Every bus should be equipped with Champagne. Photo courtesy Kevin Christensen.
Zang’s mother and his only sister came from Malaysia for the event. (Zang is the youngest of seven siblings.)
The family.
At Zang’s request, I wore my Zang Toi cityscape gown, which was photographed by the New York Times last November and by Food & Wine Magazine last month. You can see it in the photo below, along with my artist friend Natasha Zupan (second from right) and the famous peacock mini dress.
Just a few of Zang's guests.
All of the Zang-wearing ladies squeezed into a shot.
Zang's entourage. Photo courtesy Lina Mei.
Zang was wearing something very special too: dragon cufflinks designed by me! He’s trying to show them off in this photo, but it looks like he’s feeling me up instead.
Watch the hand, Zang!
Here’s a better look.
Cufflinks by Wendy Brandes. Photo by SquareMoose.
The dragons are 18K white gold with diamond eyes. The South Sea pearls in their mouths measure over 12mm each. That is may-jah for pearls. The design was created to Zang’s specifications: he chose the pearl size and the metal. I’ll be adding a yellow-gold version of these to my line. Zang will be the only guy with the white-gold version. He’s special … but you already knew that!
A ring is coming too. It will have its own unique look. Wait and see!
UPDATED TO ADD: A Quest for “It” wrote about the event too.
OMG.. ok so this post just gave me a revelation. Why is there not a Wendy Brandes reality show on tv? You have everything it takes and this Zang Toi trip would’ve been perfect cut down to a half an hour. PS GREAT hair here – I especially love asymmetry in a bang/side bang, or as the brits say (since you have many London readers) “fringe.”
melissa
http://www.jewelrydosedaily.com
Julie Matos gets credit for styling my hair that night. (Keith Carpenter cut the bangs.)
I’ve never seen anything so incredible. These are unbelievable… seriously… works of art.
Big smile… very appropriate anti-spam word hehe !
I think M Zang needs to move his hand a little higher ahhh ! Non non. It looks like you and everyone involved had a lot of fun that night, and his cufflinks look awesome, too.
That said, I’m not sure every bus should have champagne; Greyhound’s scary enough as it is… in the daytime! But I bet your party bus was way more classy than the usual party bus full of drunk college kids headed to be on MTV’s spring break. Cheers all around!
I so want those cufflinks …
This is amazing!!!, your gown is may jah sista!!!, LOVE the cuff Links too, is it possible to make this as a ring, with a 6 – 8 mm black south sea pearl and the dragon be plated in black rhodium?
LOVE
J
xoxo
I AM doing a ring, but it will be for this size pearl/stone. If you want to discuss doing one in a different size — which would count as a totally custom job — email me at wbjewelry at hotmail dot com.
WOW this looks and sounds like it was such a fun night! And those cufflinks are just incredible x
http://pagesixxx.blogspot.com/
wow to everything!
I love the dresses, and cufflinks too! I looks you had a great time at the party. I can’t wait to see dragon ring!
Lovely glam folks, smiles and just good life!
WOW, so many amazing dresses (and cufflinks). I loove the peacock dress, and your amazing mirror mosaic, and mother Zang’s awesome pink fur coat!
wow, those pictures are amazing ! great blog by the way 🙂
If I was a dragon I would want to eat pearls. Actually, if I was a dragon I would want to be cufflinks on Zang Toi’s shirt sleeves. Gorgeous, Wendy!
p.s. I <3 Terrytown. The whole Headless Horseman thing and the cemetery and the high charm neighborhood has attracted me there many times.
Love the cufflinks and the earrings!
Those are very cool. Everything you do is very cool!
Zang’s family is gorgeous! You all look divine in his designs, really beautiful and unique pieces.
And those cufflinks, WOW. Those are outstanding. Well done, Wendy!
LOVE the cufflinks!
I agree with the first comment, reality show is in order! Loving all of Zang’s designs! And kudos to him for being slick and copping a feel ;o)
Congrats to Zang on his award! You all look amazing in his gowns.
Hi my dear-wow, those cufflinks are just so unique and stunning, congratulations on another superb design!! You also look fabulous in this gown and a gorgeous picture of everyone too! xx
omg, the bus ride really happened! i can only imagine a bus ride with you and zang, it must have been so much fun.
i think the dragon will look fantastic in gold. but as i always like to say, when in doubt, just add gold.
🙂
and yeah, it does look like zang is feelign you up in that pick, i was wondering what was going on there!
Wendy, these are breathtaking and so perfecty for Zang! It is fitting that he have the only white gold pair.
Truly a work of art.
So much to love in this post: Zang Toi and his stylish entourage (including you, gorgeous WendyB!), champagne on a party bus, those stunning cufflinks. Have I mentioned I’m living vicariously through you from my office cubicle in Vancouver?
Those cufflinks are bananas! Love the dresses too. The peacock mini is breathtaking.
WHOA! those are so cool!
I have a gorgeous tahitian black pearl that would look great with that dragon head… and maybe ruby eyes.
Oh my goodness…Those are so beautiful. Can’t wait to see the ring!!
Beautiful gowns. He does look like he is groping you…Amazing cufflinks Wendy I want a pair for my man. How much are you going to sell them for? Xxxx
Everyone looks so super-foxy. The dragons may be Miss J’s favorite WendyB piece yet.
OK, his hand really is above the line 🙂 I love the cufflinks! They are so elegant but bold and nervy.
I want to be felt up by dragon cufflinked hands, too!
Congrats, Zang!
BeBe,
Thank you so so very much for my FABULOUS dragon/pearl cuff links…LOVE LOVE LOVE it !
Thank you all so so much for your kind words !
goodlord those are great links!
The only thing better than those links is Zang groping you!
Just kidding.
I love the workmanship on them.
OMG. I love these cufflinks. and I am going to love the ring. these are so fabulous. every chinese person (like me) will be buying those good fortune cufflinks.