In Town Last Night: Madonna raises millions at Gucci fundraiser

New York's charity bash of the year - so far - was held last night on the lawns of the United Nations. Hosted by Madonna (left), with Chris Rock (right) as auctioneer, the party was laid on by Gucci to celebrate the opening of new store on Fifth Avenue and to raise money for Raising Malawi, a charity that supports orphans in the southeast African state, and UNICEF. The Hollywood contingent included Tom Cruise, Drew Barrymore and a heavily pregnant Jennifer Lopez while New Yorkers included Donald Trump and - taking time out from Fashion Week shows - Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

Guests paid between $2,500 and $10,000 each to dine on grappa-cured salmon, wild striped bass, goat’s cheese tart and sticky toffee pudding with creme fraiche. The auction prizes included several celebrity treats. Someone paid $600,000 to tour with Madonna and take a dance class with her and Gwyneth Paltrow. Tom Cruise bid $100,000 for a sports package that included the privilege of a private hour playing soccer with his friend David Beckham, but lost out to a bidder who paid $350,000.

The event went ahead despite controversial pre-publicity. Both Madonna and Gucci denied a report by the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News which accused Madonna of having "conned" Gucci into raising money for Kabbalah under false pretexts. "Raising Malawi is merely a front for Philip Berg's Kabbalah Centre of Los Angeles," Fox claimed on its website last month.