Salma Hayek Pinault made her first red carpet appearance since turning 60 in a tailored black lace gown at the Kering Foundation’s fifth annual Caring for Women Dinner in Manhattan on September 10th.
Celebrating her 60th birthday last weekend on September 2nd, Hayek Pinault showed up in a floor-length dress with bows, along with a vibrant green Bottega Veneta handbag, while dodging photographers and a security detail. Bottega Veneta is one of many luxury brands owned by the French company Kering, which is run by her husband, François-Henri Pinault.
In 2009, they tied the knot and have hosted the annual dinner every September since. They entered the event hand in hand and walked up the stairs to The Pool, a restaurant inside the Seagram Building in Manhattan, where the annual gathering takes place.
The fundraiser event helped raise over $5 million this year for four nonprofit organizations that work to prevent domestic violence against women and children and support the survivors of violence. These include Activating Change, Fondo Semillas, JBWS, and The New York Women’s Foundation. Pinault told the audience that the organization has raised more than $15 million since it was founded five years ago.
“We want a world where women and children can live free from violence and fear,” Pinault said, as quoted by WWD. He mentioned that the idea for the benefit event came up with his wife during the pandemic, as a result of which the problem of violence became even more relevant, and he added that misogynistic comments made online are the new threat.
Hayek Pinault serves as honorary president of the Kering Foundation, established in 2008 by Kering. Hayek Pinault and her husband assembled a host committee including Pamela Anderson, Simone Biles, Benicio Del Toro, Dakota Johnson, Nacho Figueras and artist Lorna Simpson. Colman Domingo hosted the event, Rita Ora performed live, and Paris Hilton acted as the DJ. Attendees included Martha Stewart, Karlie Kloss, Julianne Moore, and Linda Evangelista.
Organized right in time for New York Fashion Week, the dinner’s red carpet featured an exciting element: a live auction of goods and experiences from Kering brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, Boucheron, and Pomellato. A package by Bottega Veneta included tickets to the winter 2027 show, a visit to the label’s Montebello atelier, and a stay at a residence in Venice, and it opened the bidding at $130,000.
A video clip of Hayek Pinault’s arrival at the after-party went viral online, drawing many positive comments about her composure and timeless look. Many people immediately rushed to support her before the criticism came, because her appearances are closely watched in an industry that has long viewed on-screen aging as a weakness for women.
Hayek Pinault embraces the discussion rather than avoiding it. She appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit at age 58. She celebrated her birthday with an Instagram post in which she was photographed swimming in the ocean, saying “60 and grateful.”
Take a look at the social media reaction below.
