Tiffany & Co. Brought an Indoor Garden—and a Surprise Mariah Carey Concert—to Manhattan for the Blue Book Gala

Bunny Mellon—the Listerine heiress and horticulturist as renowned for her gardens as her collection of Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co.—would have loved the effort it took to transform Park Avenue Armory into an ephemeral eden on Thursday evening. To unveil its latest Blue Book collection, the epitome of high jewelry excellence, the house had opened its rolodex to bring clients, ambassadors, and friends from far and wide to the Upper East Side for a rare experience.

Indeed, the late Mellon would be the quintessential VIC—very important client—of today. During her lifetime, she purchased hundreds of pieces by her treasured friend Schlumberger, whom she hosted regularly at her 5,000-acre-farm in Virginia. It is there, at Oak Springs, where the two reveled in their shared love of nature. (Ever the influencer, it is said that Mellon would even tend to potting, planting, and weeding while decked out in her custom jewels.)

Schlumberger’s diamond-rendered depictions of flora and fauna remain a seminal influence for Nathalie Verdeille, senior vice president, chief artistic officer, and the Tiffany Design Studio, too. And the latest Blue Book offering is no exception. These sculptural silhouettes, which were displayed on Givenchy-clad models on Thursday, hark back to Schlumberger’s design codes while propelling the craft of exceptional jewelry making forward. Shoppers, who’d flown in from all over the world, were already given a little taste last month, when Gwyneth Paltrow stepped out for the Oscars in a one-of-a-kind fancy vivid yellow diamond necklace from the new collection.

For this year’s Blue Book Gala, Park Avenue Armory was an apt choice—the Gilded Age-era military facility’s Silver Room and Veterans Room were designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1881 and remain two of the last intact examples of his interiors.

Speaking of the Oscars—the star power was on par. Teyana Taylor teamed her ice with a colossal curly coat by Calvin Klein; committed to the outfit even with the 85-degree heat outside. Greta Lee dialed into the color theme of the night in a sparkling Marc Jacobs bandeau (though nothing could upstage the aquamarine and chrysoprase interperation of the famed Bird on a Rock design around her neck. Diane Kruger proudly pointed out an on-theme embellished avian creature on her Sabina Bilenko Couture number, pausing to dutifully shimmy the beaded fringe skirt for photographers. “I often do style myself for the red carpet,” beamed Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, in a form-fitting strapless column dress by The New Arrivals, “but not tonight. Tonight is extra special.” The supermodel immediately made her way towards her friend Lauren Santo Domingo, artistic director of Tiffany Home, who’d taken a vintage Dior number out for a spin.

Alison Oliver was thrilled to be in town for the occasion. While she’s never lived in New York, she is no stranger to the draw of its energy. “When we filmed Task in Philadelphia, I was only an hour away on the Amtrak so I would take the train here any chance I could,” the Irish actress said. A dream that might one day materialize, given her one-to-watch status? The chance to tread the boards and do a play in the city someday.