International sophisticate, with a quirky modern wit, is Judith Tatar's signature style. While Tatar tends to avoid obvious themes, she approaches the overall look of her invitations and tablescape as a home-entertaining conceptual art project.
For the dinner party, Tatar takes her inspiration from the guests of honour, who are both frequent, and first-class, flyers.
“Glenn and George are always on a plane,” Tatar says. “The two of them travel more than they stay home and their absolutely favourite airline is Air France.”
While staying minimal, contemporary and elegant, Tatar weaves her theme into the invitations, which are designed as mock Air France boarding cards.
When it comes to her table, Tatar takes her inspiration from the guests of honour (Kevin Van Paassen/The Globe and Mail)
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- Seen and heard: Karen von Hahn narrates photos from the party
- Photo gallery: The prep
- Photo gallery: The flowers
- Photo gallery: The food
- Photo gallery: The table
- Photo gallery: The fashion
Lighting is warm and chic: Lots of tiny tea lights in stemless wine glasses and champagne flutes give the living room a golden glow, which is reflected in the choice of fresh cut flowers in autumnal hues. The table, meanwhile, is set to look like dinner service on a very exclusive, and very French, jet: tiny ice buckets with mini bottles of Veuve Clicquot atop pewter-rimmed white Italian rustic Arte Italica plates on oversized pewter chargers, accompanied by baroque Arte Italica flatware, Reidel stemless wine glasses and champagne flutes.
The opulence of the place setting is nicely grounded by the simple rusticity of Tatar's organic looking dining table, which she leaves uncovered. The only linens are oversized napkins featuring ink-screened Paris street signs, a different one for each guest at the table.
Place cards inscribed with the guests' names are designed as faux Air France luggage tags and set on mini wire stands in front of each place setting.
