At Wildlife Gala, Ladies Go Wild for Judith Leiber Minaudieres

Elyssa Kellerman, Allison Morrow, Ann Unterberg, Allison Stern, Stephanie Clark, Virgina Schwein, Mary Gleason, Cynthia Friedman, and Pat Werblin/Photo: Julie Skarratt

At the Wildlife Conservation Society's black-tie gala last week, the accessory of choice was a minaudiere -- that's the tiny gem of a purse, fanciful and impractical (pronounced me-no-dyear -- the term is of French origin) -- from Judith Leiber.

This designer has been a longtime favorite, for charity ball goers, and a few First Ladies, too. But it was unusual to have so many of the tiny, crystal-laden purses -- which sell for roughly $3,000 to $7,000 -- out on the same night. We counted more than 20. Why so many? The cause of the evening, protecting wildlife around the world, certainly had something to do it: traditionally, many women dress to the theme, wearing zebra and leopard prints, and animal-shaped handbags -- frogs, fish, birds, lions, and cats -- were the perfect accessory. (Indeed, the collection seems designed specifically for this event!) But the Judith Leiber company also fixed the odds: as a sponsor of the event, Judith Leiber's New York boutique on Madison Avenue lent bags for the evening to many guests.

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