Battle of the Designer Dinners: Jason Wu vs. Zac Posen

On Wednesday, Jason Wu threw a dinner at the very downtown restaurant The Lucky Bee to toast a brand-new iteration of his label, Grey Jason Wu. Simultaneously, Zac Posen hosted his own dinner at a slightly different locale, Soho’s Laduree, for a 20-year-old wine label, Ecco Domani. Downtown vs. Soho, old vs. new, Wu vs. Posen. Who did it better?

Location, Location, Location Wu: The Lucky Bee, a Pan-Asian restaurant on the Lower East Side. Posen: Laduree Soho, the upscale Parisian bakery.

Talking Points for the Guests Wu: “For his first collection, Jason worked with artist Hunt Slonem. Jason and the Pantone Color Institute developed a custom grey to mark the launch of the collection.”

Posen: “Posen’s design for the Limited Edition bottle was inspired by a print taken directly from his runway collection.” His Pinot Grigio has “delicate citrus and floral aromas, tropical fruit flavors and a crisp, refreshing finish.”

Price range Wu: $295 – $1395 Posen: Suggested retail price $12

Tribes Wu: Models and bloggers. Posen: Movie types and models.

The A-List Wu: Emily Meade, Tao Okamoto, Cleo Wade, Ruth Bell. Posen: Stella Schnabel, Morena Baccarin, Louis-Marie de Castelbajac.

On the Menu Wu: Rare seared tuna, steamed fish with sesame and chili oil, coconut braised short rib, Khao Soi curry of chicken with egg noodles, and sour orange curry of Arctic Char with lemongrass. Posen: Crab cake, organic sautéed chicken paillard with fresh herbs and vegetables, sautéed salmon with salmon roe and zucchini, vegetarian risotto with asparagus.

And for Dessert Wu: A marshmallow and tapioca concoction. Posen: Plaisir Sucre pastries and color-coordinated macaroons.