On the wall of Tabac was a blown up photograph, in black and white, of the model Stephanie Seymour locking tongues with Kara Young. Taken by Sante D’Orazio, the photographer and friend of models, captured an intimate moment and the general atmosphere of Tabac in one click. The same photograph, too, is what is said to have attracted arts patron and Interview magazine owner Peter Brant (Seymour’s future husband) to her in the first place, as George Wayne recalls. No one saw them meet, but they were seen together from thereon out.

Models were everywhere. On top of tables, in the bathroom, pissing behind the bar. They were what made Café Tabac the hottest spot to be in the early 1990s. And supermodels, like Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford, were rubbing shoulders with the rest of us (and all the other very famous actors, artists, and figures orbiting around Tabac).

Liebenthal is what attracted the models to Tabac in the first place. From Naomi to Madonna, whispers of Liebenthal’s dating life were just as fascinating as the stories that came out of Tabac. Without these iconic faces from magazines and the screen dancing in-between and on top of the tables at Tabac, it would have been any other bar.

Kelly Cutrone: Everybody went there. Every major model in the world was in that place. They all liked Roy.

AJ Benza: Roy pulled in the model crowd and in New York City, once you pull in the model crowd and the beautiful people come, the money follows.

It was a different time. When Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell walked into a room, that was called ​“The Trinity.” Your nightclub or your restaurant was made; you were secure, you were never going to worry about getting a crowd again because those girls could open and close a place in a second.

Sante D’Orazio: Naomi, Stephanie and Kara Young. We’d basically be partying there and I had my camera, so they all kind of hammed it up for the camera. All sorts of nonsense would go on, but fun nonsense. Having drinks. Being fun. Personal, intimate. Nobody had their guard up. And those girls were so close that they could basically start goofing around that way.

I remember George Wayne and Naomi having a food fight. That was crazy. Valentino’s sitting at the next table getting hit with something.

George Wayne: For some reason, Naomi and I always had a love-hate relationship. I called her a fake Jamaican on December 14th, 1993. I said, ​“You weren’t even born in Jamaica. Your mother was, but you’re not Jamaican.” Next thing I know, she threw her water bottle at me, she threw water in my face and I emptied a flute of champagne all over of her weave. She chased me through the crowded restaurant. Everyone was gagging. Naomi and I always fought like cats and dogs, but I love her. She’s like my sister, but she hated the fact that I called her a fake Jamaican.

Sante D’Orazio: I remember her being soaking wet and just laughing about it all.

George Wayne: I will never forget the night at Café Tabac, April 20th, 1994, when Christy Turlington walked in with Bono Vox. They got so sloshed and were drinking Irish whiskey. But the next thing I know, Christy was behind the bar at one point, squatted, and took a pee.

Roy Liebenthal: I’ve heard that story… That I don’t believe.

Sante D’Orazio: [Laughs] Yeah. That would definitely happen. I remember [Christy] just dancing one time – dancing, dancing, dancing. She turns her head. Threw up. And then continued dancing. Stuff like that would easily happen.

Kelly Cutrone: Everything that George says is true. He has the memory of an elephant.

George Wayne: Bridget Hall, of course, was my favorite. Another young fabulous model. She met Leonardo DiCaprio at Café Tabac. She told me herself. She said, ​“He popped my cherry.” They went to the Royalton Hotel, where he was staying.