At The Albies, Amal and George Clooney Make Sure the Real-Life Heroes Take Center Stage

As one would imagine, Amal and George Clooney certainly have no issue pulling a crowd. As such, the host table placement at their fifth annual foundation gala, The Albies, did not disappoint.

On George’s left sat his longtime co-stars and friends Laura Dern and Brad Pitt. On the actor’s right, rapper and activist Vic Mensa and Downton Abbey’s Lord Grantham himself, Hugh Bonneville. With the inimitable couple separated only by the table’s elaborate edible display of Italian delicacies, Amal, draped in a gilded off-the-shoulder sequin gown by Gucci, was shoulder-to-shoulder with Vogue’s Anna Wintour, musician Jackson Browne, and actress Emma Thompson.

Still, even in a room bursting with headline-worthy names, the Clooneys ensured the spotlight shone brightest on the evening’s honorees: Kyrgyz journalists Bolot Temirov and Makhabat Tazhibek Kyzy, Malawian girls’ rights activist Vanessa Mwangala, American photojournalist Lynsey Addario, Congolese NGO Justice Plus, and Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith.

When it came to choosing this year’s award recipients, George remarked, “You have to look at things that are going on in the news. We’re looking for people that are shining a light on [an issue], can help put a protective shield over someone, or prevent them from being thrown in jail or killed.”

Journalist Christiane Amanpour, who stepped out for the occasion in a red jacquard pantsuit by Derek Lam, echoed Clooney’s focus on providing protection for those relentlessly working to hold corrupt systems accountable. “Right now is the time to put a focus on human rights around the world. We need more big names and big organizations who can say ‘Hang on, this is important, this space has to be defended’—especially while everybody else is cutting back, George and Amal lend their name and their heft and public profile to this. It’s super important.”

True to its name, the Clooney Foundation for Justice works tirelessly to increase access to justice across the globe. Most notably, the Foundation provides free legal aid in cases defending free speech and women’s rights in more than 40 countries. And of course, it’s a 365-day-a-year effort beyond this one glamorous gala. “What’s interesting about operating a foundation is the amount of work that’s just fundraising,” shared George. “That’s kind of the thing you end up doing most of, just trying to keep the lights on so that you can keep bringing attention to these people.”

With the charm of Amal and George behind it, the evening found many a generous sponsor to support its cause, including Gucci, Microsoft, and Charlotte Tilbury. A close friend of the Clooneys, the legendary makeup artist has been a supporter of The Albies since its first year. This time around, she graced the red carpet in a beaded and semi-sheer Gatsby-esque dress from Rockstar Vintage, paired with a custom belt designed by her friend Stella McCartney, a ring formerly owned by cosmetics magnate Helena Rubinstein, and a beaded evening bag she dreamed up herself. “I design bags quite a lot and I design clothes for myself,” she said. “I design my makeup, design my counters, design my packaging—I’m designing all the time, as I know what I like.”

Alongside Tilbury, the evening’s long list of guests, including Demna, Donatella Versace, Melinda French Gates, Emily Ratajkowski and Romain Gavras, Josh Hartnett, and Isla Fisher, were immersed in a palazzo-inspired scene, as conceptualized by Bronson van Wyck of Van Wyck & Van Wyck. Looking to the grand allure of Italian Baroque interiors, the event designer transformed London’s Natural History Museum with colossal floral arrangements, rich draped swaths of emerald-hued velvet, crystal chandeliers, and more than a generous helping of gold finishes.

One had to wonder if a certain couple’s famous Lake Como residence could have played a hand in the inspiration.