Regularly during the school year, the Dean hosts roundtable discussions with prominent guests who have utilized their law degrees in a variety of nontraditional ways. Over lunch with a small group of students, guests speak autobiographically about their work experiences, sharing valuable insight about how they found their chosen path. Please note that the roundtables are informal and off-the-record.
Domenico Vacca (MCJ ’92), who will be the Dean’s guest on Thursday, September 26, is the founder of his namesake fashion label for men and women launched in New York with his wife Julie in 2002. Born in Italy, his family was for decades deeply rooted in the craft of fashion. Since 2002, he has opened stores in New York, Beverly Hills, Miami, Palm Beach, London, Milan, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Mayakoba, Mexico. Vacca was recognized twice by the prestigious Robb Report Magazine with the award for Best Italian Collection in their annual Best of the Best issue, and Best Life Magazine has recognized the Domenico Vacca tie collection as the finest in the world. His regular customers include such music stars as Kanye West, Usher, 50 Cent, L.A. Reid, Sean P. Diddy Combs and Yoko Ono; actors Ashton Kutcher, Denzel Washington, Christopher Plummer, Dustin Hoffman, Jodie Foster, and John Malkovich; athletes Lebron James, Scottie Pippen and Steve Smith; and corporate executives Ronald Perelman, Ronald Lauder, Gustavo Cisneros, and Edgar Bronfman Jr.
Since 2005, he has collaborated with Hollywood costume designers to wardrobe lead actors and actresses in films such as The Son of No One (Al Pacino), Just Wright (Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton), and The Inside Man (Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer); and in TV series such as HBO’s Entourage (Jeremy Piven), Lipstick Jungle (Brooke Shields), and FX’s drama Damages (Glenn Close). At the 2007 Academy Awards, Oscar winners Forest Whitaker (Best Actor), Alan Arkin (Best Supporting Actor), and Melissa Etheridge (Best Music Score) all accepted their Oscars wearing Domenico Vacca along with nominees and attendees Mickey Rourke, Steve Carell, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Seth Rogen and Frank Langella. At the 2013 Academy Awards, the Best Actor award winner Daniel Day-Lewis wore a Domenico Vacca tuxedo.
Prior to founding his fashion label, he practiced law with the law firm Baker and McKenzie for four years in Milan and six years in New York.
He graduated with a law degree from Bari University in Italy and received his MCJ from NYU School of Law in 1992.
The Dean’s roundtables are open to 18 interested NYU School of Law JD and graduate students. In order to achieve a representational mix of students, we will designate a proportionate number of seats to JD students and graduate students, respectively, to be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. The roundtables will begin at 12:30 P.M. in Snow Dining Room. If you would like to attend a roundtable, please sign up in advance by emailing Lexi Trempe at lexi.trempe@nyu.edu. Please indicate whether you are a J.D. or graduate student, and whether you have any dietary restrictions.