The Fourth Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic Returns to Governors Island in New York City in Support of Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti

NEW YORK, May 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Veuve Clicquot Champagne is pleased to announce the fourth annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will take place Sunday, June 5 on New York's historic Governors Island.  One of summer's most unique and glamorous star-studded social events, the 2011 Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will once again showcase polo in New York City, a tradition that was reintroduced by Veuve Clicquot in 2008 to Governors Island, where polo was first played in the United States nearly 70 years ago.  This year's event beneficiary is Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti (HHRH), an initiative of Urban Zen and the next evolution of Hope, Help & Relief Haiti.

Co-hosts Nacho Figueras, Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan and President of Veuve Clicquot U.S.A. Vanessa Kay, along with Master of Ceremonies Hugh Jackman, will be joined by friends, supporters and polo enthusiasts in the VIP Marquee where tables will be sold to benefit HHRH.  In addition to the ticketed VIP experience, New Yorkers will once again be able to enjoy this memorable event for free, with the majority of the playing field designated for public picnicking, polo watching and champagne sipping.

"We are excited to bring the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic to New York for the fourth year in a row and are honored that this fun and stylish event benefits a worthy cause like Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti," says Vanessa Kay, President of Veuve Clicquot U.S.A.  "We're proud that the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, a signature event of Veuve Clicquot's social season, is an event that New Yorkers look forward to each year and can attend for free."

The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will serve as the launch of Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti, which was first introduced as Hope Help & Relief Haiti in January 2010 as a joint effort by Donna Karan, Andre Harrell, Mary J. Blige and Andre Balazs.  Maintaining the same mission since its inception, Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti is aimed at galvanizing a community in response to Haiti's immediate need to rebuild after the devastating earthquake in January 2010.  Supported by the William J. Clinton Foundation, the current focus of HHRH's work is showcasing the rich culture, history and artistry of Haiti, through its tradition of skilled artists and artisan products.  

"Haiti speaks to my heart.  It embraces everything we seek to accomplish at Urban Zen – the need to preserve culture, to bring mind body and spirit into healthcare and education and the empowerment of children," says Donna Karan, the founder of Urban Zen and an event co-host.  "HHRH started out as Hope, Help & Relief Haiti; we're proud to launch its next chapter, Hope, Help & Rebuild Haiti, at the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic this year."  

Spectators will have the chance to watch Nacho Figueras lead team Black Watch against polo-great Rico Mansur and his team.  "The Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic is my favorite occasion of the year; I love sharing the sport of polo with New Yorkers while supporting a worthy cause like Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti," says Nacho Figueras.  "I appreciate having Veuve Clicquot as my partner in making polo a fun, exciting and accessible sport, which we've done with the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic in New York for the past four years and started in Los Angeles last year."

In the historic setting of Governors Island, the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic will once again attract the most glamorous and stylish people from around the globe – all encouraged to sport traditional polo garb – extravagant hats for women and crisp summer suits for men.

Past years' affairs have drawn more than 14,000 public spectators and a VIP line-up including Prince Harry of Wales, Madonna, Kate Hudson, Chloe Sevigny, Mayor Bloomberg, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Mary J. Blige, L.L. Cool J, Rachel Roy, Val Kilmer, Susan Sarandon, Hilary Rhoda, Alexis Bledel and many more.  As a past attendee of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, co-host Marc Jacobs takes the chic daytime event's style to the next level this year.

"I'm really happy to be supporting my good friends Nacho and Delfina by co-hosting the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic," says Marc Jacobs.  "I have been the last couple of years and it's a really fun time and supports a great cause.  I mean, I am not exactly a polo expert but you don't need to be.  Who doesn't like some combination of summer, champagne, horses and beautiful people?"

To transform spectator snacking into an unmatched dining experience for both VIPs and public viewers, Veuve Clicquot has partnered with Danny Meyer's Union Square Events and The Modern.  Gabriel Kreuther, Executive Chef at The Modern, has created a spectacular multi-course Champagne luncheon for VIP guests, as well as gourmet baskets featuring luxurious picnic offerings inspired by the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic.  The exclusive luxe picnic baskets - only 150 will be sold in advance of the event - are available for sale on vcseason.com and will be ready for pick-up on Governors Island on event day.  For the public who don't purchase a basket, Union Square Events' Executive Chef, Robb Garceau has developed an array of premium concessions available for purchase on-site from Blue Smoke, El Verano Tacqueria and Public Fare.  New to the event this year, Veuve Clicquot is creating dramatic and chic champagne lounges for guests on the public side to sip champagne in style.

"We are so excited to bring our culinary perspective to Governors Island for this highly anticipated New York summer event," says Chef Gabriel Kreuther.  "We have carefully crafted menus for both the VIP Marquee and the public side, intended to be enjoyed with chilled flutes of Veuve Clicquot."

The public side will also enjoy an exclusive preview of the new "Union Square Burger" created by Union Square Hospitality Group for their sports & entertainment venues.  Spectators can expect three different juicy charcoal-grilled beef burgers with special sauce and cottage fries.  Following the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, the burger will go back under wraps until its official debut.

Veuve Clicquot is proud to have The Standard, New York, as the official hotel partner of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic.  Located in New York City's thriving Meatpacking District, The Standard, New York, is a jewel in Andre Balazs' expanding collection of hotels.  The hotel hosted the charity's launch and first fundraiser in January 2010 and is particularly excited about this year's event as Andre Balazs is a member of the event's host committee and is one the founders of HHRH.  The Standard Grill will also feature The Near Side, a Veuve Clicquot champagne cocktail inspired by the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic available now through mid- June.  Sunset Beach, Andre Balazs' hotel in Shelter Island, NY, is hosting a party with Nacho Figueras and Veuve Clicquot on Monday, May 30, which will be open to the public to get everybody in the polo state-of-mind before the event.

Yet another nod to the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic's tradition of high-style, this year the recently-debuted online shopping venture from Lauren Santo Domingo and Aslaug Magnusdottir, Moda Operandi, joins in the festivities.  The site will up the style quotient by hosting a curated, polo-inspired trunk show benefitting Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti, complete with style tips from contributing Vogue editor and Moda Operandi co-founder Santo Domingo and her partner Aslaug Magnusdottir.

For additional event information, b-roll and/or still images of the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, background on event partners (Hope Help & Rebuild Haiti, Urban Zen, The Standard Hotel, USHG, Moda Operandi) or to arrange an interview with participating Veuve Clicquot representatives, Nacho Figueras, Donna Karan or Chef Gabriel Kreuther, please contact [email protected].

Please note the event press accreditation contact information:  [email protected]

ABOUT VEUVE CLICQUOT

Veuve Clicquot has a long association with polo in England with the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup and now in the United States of America with the Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic, which kicks-off the Veuve Clicquot Season summer opening.  The champagne house was established in 1772 by Philippe Clicquot, and began to thrive when Madame Clicquot took the helm 1805.  For over 200 years, Veuve Clicquot has been inspiring the world to "Be Clicquot": modern, audacious and premium quality.  These values, set forth by the ground-breaking and extraordinary Madame Clicquot and maintained by generations of Clicquot drinkers, promise a remarkable experience with each sip of Veuve Clicquot.  Today its eponymous Yellow Label continues to be one of the world's most beloved champagnes.  The Veuve Clicquot Season is an essential guide to the most exclusive social events and parties of the year across the country.  For more information, please visit www.vcseason.com or www.veuve-clicquot.com. Always sip responsibly.

ABOUT HOPE, HELP & REBUILD HAITI (HHRH)

HHRH is the next evolution of the work that was started by Donna Karan and her Urban Zen Foundation immediately following the January 2010 earthquake with music executive Andre Harrell, the Mary J. Blige and Steve Stoute Foundation for the Advancement of Women Now, and Andre Balazs and The Standard as an initiative of Urban Zen aimed at galvanizing a community in response to Haiti's immediate need to rebuild.  HHRH's mission is to create a conscious community of leaders in music, fashion, film, finance and art to become agents of change for the renewal of Haiti.  The initiative launched in February 2010 with a "Night of Humanity," a fundraising event at the Urban Zen Center and has since raised over $2 million dollars to support Haiti.  Supported by the William J. Clinton Foundation the current focus of HHRH's work is on showcasing the rich culture, history and artistry of Haiti, through its tradition of skilled artists and artisan products.  HHRH is bringing together the confluence of commerce and philanthropy to collaborate and develop Haitian artisans and help bring their designs to international markets.

SOURCE Veuve Clicquot Champagne