Variety’s 2016 Power of Women New York event at Cipriani Midtown on Friday afternoon honored Lupita Nyong’o, Julianne Moore, Vera Wang, Misty Copeland, Megyn Kelly and Mariska Hargitay for using their platforms and influence to bring attention to worthy causes.
Copeland, the American Ballet Theatre principal dancer and an Under Armour spokeswoman, was on hand to shine a light on Project Plié – the diversity initiative for which ABT has partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of America.
Before Copeland was honored, she walked the red carpet and talked to Footwear News about her favorite statement shoes in her closet. “I have this pair of Christian Louboutin crazy-spiked, sparkly and shiny shoes. Like, if I kick myself, I would bleed, but they are so beautiful,” she said, wearing an Oscar de la Renta floral dress and yellow pumps.
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To celebrate the room full of powerful women, Kelly made an inspirational speech surrounding the Childhelp nonprofit.
“Fearlessness is false. Adversity is an opportunity. In the wake of the dustup between Donald Trump and yours truly, some have used the word fearless about me and it’s wrong,” said the Fox News anchor. “I am not fearless. Fear is normal. The goal is not to get rid of it, the goal is to walk through it.”
She added,“It is showing — not telling — the world, that we, women, are a force to be reckoned with. They can dismiss us and call us names, but truth drowns out an unmoored lie. So we should not demand fearlessness. We need fear to find our courage. ”
Kelly has been making chic appearances in pricey footwear during the GOP presidential campaign trail, and today was no different. She opted for a pair of Miu Miu shoes and an Alexander McQueen dress.
Anna Wintour was in attendance to present Wang with an award honoring her work with the Youth Anxiety Center. “We started working at Vogue three decades ago. Vera was one of our most legendary and demanding fashion editors,” said Wintour. “I’m not sure that either of us really knew what we were doing back then, but Vera stood out for her passion and her obsession. Like many creative people, she felt everything that all the rest of us feel — and maybe a just little bit more.”
Nyong’o brought out a fresh spring style to the event, wearing a Dolce & Gabbana dress and J. Crew pink suede kitten heels. The Oscar winner was honored for her dedication to the nonprofit Mother Health International.
Moore also accepted an award for her involvement with Everytown for Gun Safety, while Harigtay gave an emotional speech regarding the Joyful Heart foundation and sexual assault survivors.
Other guests included Hoda Kotb, Kathy-Lee Gifford, Alyssa Milano, Danai Gurira, Donna Karan and Neve Campbell.
Click through the gallery to see the rest of the honorees at Variety’s Power of Women luncheon.
