Over the past year, Covid variants have caused a number of stops and starts within the celebrity party scene. But at this very moment, a rebirth of in-person events is taking place as in-person events, galas, and get-togethers are returning to the social and cultural calendar. In an effort to make up for lost time, we’re keeping track of the best parties happening right now. Check back often to stay updated on what your favorite celebrities, artists, socialites, fashion plates, and public figures are up to as they emerge from the depths of their couch cushions.
Florence Pugh led the pack of partiers who flocked to The Standard’s newly opened outpost in Ibiza on the weekend of May 21. And while the tabloids have focused on the fact that her Midsommar costar Will Poulter was also in attendance—to the point that Pugh later felt compelled to shut down the many dating rumors—he was hardly the only one who got to enjoy her company. She also palled around with not one, but two designers of the moment: Chet Lo and Harris Reed. For the latter, the event also served as a birthday party.
Clearly, the Midsommar cast has kept in touch since the Ari Aster-directed A24 film became a runaway hit in 2019. In addition to Pugh and Poulter, there was breakout star Archie Madekwe.
The Standard made the voyage to the Mediterranean Sea well worth the trip. The night’s entertainment included a special performance by the Irish pop star and style icon Roísín Murphy.
The Detroit-based artist Matthew Angelo Harrison and Snowpiercer star Sheila Vand both found refuge from the bustle of Frieze New York Week at Dia Beacon’s annual spring benefit in the Hudson Valley over the same weekend as the art fair. This year’s edition honored Jo Baer, Larry Bell, and Melvin Edwards.
Chloë Sevigny and Karma gallery director Siniša Mačković turned the event into a family affair, bringing along their two-year-old son. (It appears the couple shares a love of Bottega Veneta: A week or so after Mačković (re)married Sevigny wearing the Italian label, Sevigny toted its new Kalimero bag.)
Back in the city, model Imaan Hammam added a pop of color to the opening of the late Virgil Abloh’s current exhibition at Greenpoint Terminal Warehouse in Brooklyn. The immersive installation, which centers around a treehouse meant to symbolize Abloh’s childhood, showcases 47 of his takes on Nike’s iconic Air Force 1 sneakers in the capacity of his role as head of Louis Vuitton’s menswear.
The evening concluded with performances by Metro Boomin, Jamie XX, and 21 Savage (seen here).
Frieze New York, which just turned 10, wasn’t the city’s only art institution celebrating a major anniversary over the weekend. Michael Nevin and Julia Dippelhofer have now officially mounted 100 exhibitions since founding The Journal Gallery, a Tribeca space that’s been unparalleled in making sure emerging and overlooked artists have a presence in the downtown art scene. It’s been no easy feat: To highlight as much talent as possible, the duo starts from scratch and mounts an entirely new solo show via their program Tennis Elbow every two weeks. They took a much-deserved break to recognize as much on Friday, which saw Nevin and Dippelhofer take over the courtyard outside the chef Mina Stone’s beloved eatery at MoMA PS1.
Artist couple Chloe Wise and Samuel Marion were among those happy to make the trek to Long Island City, Queens.
The same goes for Emma Webster and Rachel Rossin, both of whom have previously shown at The Journal Gallery.
Meanwhile, on the west coast, Dakota Fanning made a surprise appearance at Loro Piana’s cocktail party celebrating its partnership with Mytheresa and the Stanley House at—where else?—the Stanley House, a private residence designed by Lenny Kravitz. The actor, who wore Loro Piana, is seen here with the luxury retailer’s CCO, Marco Giacometti.
Chloë Sevigny and Precious Okoyomon attended a dinner held at Bergdorf’s restaurant held in honor of Simone Rocha—although it was Rocha who provided the food. Sort of. She brought in her brother, Max, the chef behind London hotspot Café Cecilia, to cook. Yes: for once, there was a fashion dinner where the food actually mattered.
Bergdorf senior vice president Linda Fargo, seen here with Rocha and writer Lynn Yaeger, read a poem out loud in honor of the designer.
On Thursday, May 19th, downtown New York City’s sceneiest bistro got an even sceneier makeover. Lucien, the French restaurant known as a gathering place for artists, designers, writers and cool kids, had its cherry red awning and umbrellas replaced by ones featuring Burberry’s signature check, the beginning of a ten-day collaboration between the hot spot and the British fashion house. Anyone stopping by for a plate of oysters or a salade nicoise through May 29th will get the chance to eat them off of Burberry dinnerware, and may be tempted to replace their standard martini order with a new Burberry-inspired cocktail—and to slip a box of Burberry matches in their pocket. To celebrate the occasion, a crowd that included Camila Morrone, Devon Lee Carlson, Dixie D’Amelio, Ella Hunt, Gray Sorrenti and more took over the space for a festive, intimate dinner. Above, D’Amelio, Michael Braun, Morrone, Duke Nicholson, Carlson, Hank Korsan and Fisher Smith gathered at one of the long tables in the space.
The musicians Bazzi and ASAP Nast caught up over champagne at one of the outdoor tables.
Laura Love and Ella Hunt.
Mary Frey and Gray Sorrenti.
“Oops, I don’t think I should bring that in here,” a guest at the Whitney Museum’s 2022 gala on May 17 in Manhattan whispered to her friend, crumpling up the piece of paper she’d been handed by protesters outside the museum. While the gala—a star-studded and glamorous affair attended by Karlie Kloss, Jeff Koons, Rashid Johnson and wife Sheree Hovsepian, Kennedy Yanko, and Nigel Barker, of America’s Next Top Model fame—took place inside the museum, a number of employees picketed outside, holding signs calling for a union at the New York City institution. The din of their chants faded as guests traveled to the fifth floor to catch a glimpse of this year’s Biennale, “Quiet as It’s Kept,” and exhibitions on the third floor including Cassandra Press’s installation. Thelma Golden, Glenn Ligon, (pictured here,) and Susan Hess were honored at dinner, where each creator gave speeches so moving that Kloss and Koons, who were seated next to one another, cracked smile after smile while listening.
New Yorker writer and author Hilton Als (left) introduced Ligon to the podium for his honor, delivering an original text he’d written for the event. Golden (right), works as the director and chief curator of The Studio Museum in Harlem.
Following a post-dinner performance by Jason Derulo, guests decamped to Genesis House for the Whitney’s Studio Party. Emerging artist Kennedy Yanko, shown here, was just one of those partying the night away.
Takashi Murakami and Zack Bia exclusively for W Magazine. Yvonne Tnt/BFA
On May 12, the renowned artist Takashi Murakami opened his three-part exhibition “An Arrow through History” at Gagosian Gallery on the Upper East Side. The uptown presentation bridged the physical and digital realms with custom Snapchat Lenses to view augmented-reality animations in each gallery—meanwhile, downtown, the after party began.
DeMont Callender, Brent Faiyaz, Kelly Wearstler, Ricky Jackson. Yvonne Tnt/BFA
To prep for the celebration, Murakami and Bureau Betak transformed a 100,000-square foot-warehouse in Brooklyn Navy Yard into a dystopian wasteland complete with fluorescent lights, cinder blocks, and smoke. Once inside, guests including Steve Aoki, Brent Faiyz, and Kelly Wearstler enjoyed a live Japanese taiko drumming performance, sipped on custom LVMH cocktails, and danced to a DJ set by Zack Bia.
On Thursday, May 5, Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Cumberbatch hit the red carpet for the New York screening of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness at The Gallery at 30 Rock, ahead of the film’s release the following day.
Olsen, clad in a black jumpsuit with ruffle accents by Oscar de la Renta and Reza earrings, joined Cumberbatch, his wife Sophie Hunter, and Doctor Strange costar Benedict Wong for the event.
On Wednesday May 4th, Jonathan Anderson and Saks fashion director Roopal Patel gathered friends and fashion stars at the Joe’s Pub Library where they were treated to an intimate dinner and a rousing performance from the iconic performer Justin Vivian Bond. The occasion? A celebration of JW Anderson’s playful Bumper bag collection which was spotted on the arms of guests Ella Emhoff, Tommy Dorfman, Richie Shazam, Chloe Wise, Katerina Tannenbaum, Tina Leung, Kimberly Drew, and Meadow Walker who attended the event with her husband Louis Thornton-Allan. Bond, a frequent model and muse for the designer, opened her three-song set with a jazzy cover of the Bewitched theme song before moving on to perform a dramatic “slow death drip”—a move she joked is her version of the more familiar death drop. “You’re not here often enough,” Bond told Anderson from the mic. “But it is nice that you are here now. And I’ll see you at London Pride in July.”
Anderson’s Bumper shoes (as seen on Diana Sinclair and Kimberly Drew with Tommy Dorfman) were the choice footwear for the evening.
On Tuesday, May 3rd, the cast of HBO Max’s new true crime series, The Staircase, descended on the Museum of Modern Art in New York City to celebrate the premiere of their new show. The series’ stars, including Sophie Turner, Colin Firth, and Parker Posey, posed on the step and repeat before continuing on to the museum’s Roy and Niuta Titus Theater for a screening of the mini series’ first episode.
Turner was joined by her husband, Joe Jonas, just a night after the pair walked the red carpet together at the Met Gala. For the premiere, they matched in black blazers, with Turner wearing her Louis Vuitton jacket as a dress, covering up her baby bump. Once inside the screening, Turner exchanged the heels she wore for photos for a pair of sneakers.
On Monday April 25, Ziwe arrived at the Roxy Hotel to celebrate season two of her eponymous talk show series, in which she interviews “iconic” guests about their understanding of race, gender, and more. After screening the season two premiere episode, and answering some questions during a Q&A session Ziwe was joined by fellow comedians Chloe Fineman and Adam Pally, as well as Emily Ratajkowski at the after party at Paul’s Cocktail Lounge, which was awash in pink.
On Wednesday, April 20th, Burberry Chief Creative Officer Riccardo Tisci hosted an event at a private home in Los Angeles to celebrate the debut of the Lola bag. The space was decked out with white flowers and custom decor in shades of khaki and beige, a house signature. Here, Madonna and Lourdes Leon share a mother-daughter moment.
Laura Harrier and Kitty Ca$h caught up outside. Also in attendance: Anitta, Brent Faiyaz, Chloe Bailey, Christina Ricci, Honey Dijon, Irina Shayk, Sarah Paulson and many more.
Gunna showed off a look from the brand’s fall 2022 collection on the terrace, from which guests could see the iconic Burberry check projected onto the facade of the nearby Chateau Marmont.
Erykah Badu performed live—and took a moment to hold hands with Madonna. The event also featured live DJ sets by American Dance Ghosts, Br0nz3_G0dd3ss, Drew Byrd, LSDXOXO and Tygapaw.
On Tuesday, April 19, Natasha Lyonne debuted the second season of her Emmy-winning series Russian Doll. Co-created with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland, the world premiere revealed the first three episodes of the Netflix series at SVA Theatre in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, before inviting guests to saunter downtown to the Bowery Hotel, where Lyonne was joined by fellow iconic New Yorkers Steve Buscemi, Marisa Tomei, and Janicza Bravo.
It wouldn’t be a New York party without some comedians in the mix. Joining Lyonne at the Russian Doll premiere was Ziwe and Saturday Night Live performer Chloe Fineman. Some of Fineman’s fellow SNL cast members, including Bowen Yang and Sarah Sherman, could also be seen sipping cocktails near the pool table at the Bowery Hotel on April 19.
On Monday, April 18, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was transformed into the venue for a celebrity-filled premiere. To celebrate the new Starz series Gaslit, Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Betty Gilpin, and Dan Stevens joined Patton Oswalt, Mahershala Ali, and many more inside the museum’s Great Hall and Egyptian Wing. The four series stars took photographs on the step and repeat and greeted friends inside the Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium—where Roberts, who wore a look from Gucci’s Love Parade collection, held Penn’s hand while she gave hugs and took selfies. Penn, meanwhile, puffed on a vape.
The series, a Watergate story told from the perspective of Martha Mitchell—the wife of John N. Mitchell, United States Attorney General under President Richard Nixon—stars Penn as John Mitchell and Roberts as Martha Mitchell, who became a polarizing figure after making critical comments about the government at the time of the scandal.
Roberts snuck into the theater through a side door before taking a seat in the fifth row beside Ali, who is her costar in the Netflix film Leave the World Behind. She beamed her signature smile during Gaslit creator and showrunner Robbie Pickering’s opening remarks, then slipped out just before the premiere began.
On Thursday, April 14, New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center, also known as The Center, raised $1.8 million in support of its programs and services for the LGBTQ community during its annual dinner—this year, held at Cipriani Wall Street. (It was the first time members of The Center gathered in-person since 2019.) Philanthropists Tim Gill and Scott Miller, the transgender activist Cecilia Gentili, and Bank of America were honored. Here, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul poses with executive director at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center Glennda Testone on the step and repeat.
Gigi Goode (pictured here), Chella Man, TikToker Emira D’Spain, and many others were in attendance at The 2022 Center Dinner.
On Tuesday, April 12, the Brooklyn Museum hosted an evening under the stars for Brooklyn Artists Ball, which raised a record-setting $2.4 million. The gathering brought out Swizz Beatz, Kerby Jean-Raymond, and Janet Mock, Chuck Schumer to celebrate Maria Grazia Chiuri, whose Inside Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition (which recently closed on February 20), as well as Saundra Williams-Cornwell and W. Don Cornwell. Above, Jean-Raymond and Mock are pictured during the evening’s cocktail party, just before dinner in the Beaux-Arts Court, decorated like a galaxy of planets and orbs, and a DJ set from Swizz Beatz. Kelsey Lu, Raquel Willis, Judy Chicago, and Marilyn Minter were also in attendance at the event which raised millions for the museum’s public programming.
The Temple of Dendur at the Metropolitan Museum of Art was drenched in purple light on April 11th to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of YoungArts (one year delayed due to the pandemic). The evening began with a cocktails, followed by a message from Vanessa Williams, one of the events’ honorary co-chairs and an alumna of the program herself. While the actress couldn’t be in attendance, her face was projected on the museum walls, turning Williams into a piece of art herself. Throughout the night, which was emceed by Josh Groban, various alumni and mentors of the YoungArts program shared their stories and performed, showing firsthand the benefits of the foundation, which provides creative and professional help to young artists across ten disciplines.
And Just Like That... actress Nicole Ari Parker attended the event in a flowing Oscar De La Renta dress. She was joined by art patron Agnes Gund and Wes Gordon, creative director of Carolina Herrera.
Fresh off being awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2022 Oscars, the actor Danny Glover traveled to New York City for the New Museum’s Spring Gala on April 11. Under the bright lights inside Cipriani at the Seaport, Glover delivered a speech and an award to the his good friend, the artist John Akomfrah, whose show “Signs of Empire” appeared at the New Museum in 2018 and has made an indelible mark upon the downtown Manhattan institution. Arts patrons Shelly Fox Aarons and Philip E. Aarons were also recognized at the gala—the New Museum’s first in three years.
Chella Man, Quil Lemons, and Marilyn Minter were just a few of the attendees at the New Museum Gala—Jeff Koons and 1980s graffiti legend Lee Quiñones also made appearances, the latter putting his 2021 piece “Ruins of the Past” up for auction at last night’s event.
On Friday, April 8 in Lower Manhattan, high society met young Hollywood at the Save Venice 50th Anniversary Ball. New York City socialites including Lauren Santo Domingo, Nicky Hilton (who proudly posed for pictures showing off her baby bump), and Olympia of Greece mingled with Rebecca Dayan, Jessica Henwick, and Sienna Miller (seen here).
The actress Anna Van Patten and her mother Wendy Van Patten, both wearing Lafayette 148, were just two of the attendees who took photographs on an enormous open oyster shell—in step with the party theme, “Incantesimo al Mare,” or spell of the sea.
Rebecca Dayan in Chanel.
“I feel a little like Eloise,” Emma Roberts said of her hosting duties on Thursday, April 7 during a dinner party at Bergdorf Goodman celebrating Valentino’s Rendez-Vous collection. Wearing an embellished ivory cocktail dress from the collection, Roberts took hosting very seriously, mingling with a crowd that included Charles Melton, Thomas Doherty, and even a surprise appearance from New York City mayor Eric Adams.
While Bergdorf has a dedicated restaurant area upstairs, the night’s event was held in one of the famed department store’s ground-level salons. The dinner kicked off just an hour and a half after closing time; the space had been quickly transformed with copious amounts of flowers. The inspiration was Valentino’s own spring 2022 runway show, held in a former Parisian market building that evoked bustling street life. Roberts and actress Jayme Lawson, of course, appreciated the bouquets.
Actresses Chase Sui Wonders—of On The Rocks and Generation fame—and Katerina Tannenbaum—most recently seen as Carrie’s downstairs neighbor in And Just Like That...—mingled with their Valentino bags in clutch.
Roberts, of course, became fast friends with Bergdorf’s senior vice president and fashion Czar Linda Fargo, who sat by her side.
On April 7, LaQuan Smith partnered with Saks to bring a slate of fun and games to the world of fashion. During his “Fashion Game Night”-themed party at Temple Bar in New York City, the designer and the department store’s chief merchandising office Tracy Margolies engaged guests with a few rounds of LaQuan Smith-centric trivia questions, led by a trio of fabulous queens: Janelle No. 5, Beaujangles, and Xunami Muse.
Selah Marley attended in an all-blue LaQuan Smith look. When she wasn’t taking photographs, the musician could be seen sitting at one of the bistro tables in the dining room while her neighbors played a game of Jenga.
Guests were treated to a trio of showstopping performances from Janelle No. 5, (left), who embodied the late Selena; a Beyoncé-inspired drag number by Beaujangles (right), and a tribute to Naomi Campbell from Xunami Muse (second from right).
That same night in New York City, Katie Holmes, Zazie Beetz, Thomas Doherty, and more could be seen leafing through luxury vintage pieces at the downtown shop What Goes Around Comes Around. The store, which is something of a SoHo institution for Manhattan’s fashion folk seeking secondhand designer goodies, hosted a party in celebration of its newly re-designed flagship location. Beetz, seen here with musician Lionbabe, paired her sheer two-piece with a brown croc purse and green heels.
Holmes was given a special tour of the store by co-owners Seth Weisser and Gerard Maione (pictured here)—she stopped at a rack of vintage concert tees, grabbed a Patti Smith tank top, and said, “Put this aside for me.”
At one point in the evening, Thomas Doherty gave one of What Goes Around Comes Around’s vintage Rolexes a spin—store employees opened a glass case containing the high-end watches just for the Gossip Girl actor.
The art and fashion worlds converged on Tuesday, April 5 in New York City for the Art Production Fund’s annual gala. This year, the gala honored artist Sanford Biggers, pictured here alongside Peter Marino (left) and Rashid Johnson (right).
Selah Marley, wearing Lafayette 148, attended the dinner which took place at the Grill and Pool in Midtown Manhattan.
Dustin Yellin, Derrick Adams, Mickalene Thomas, and Isolde Brielmaier were also in attendance, in addition to Brother Vellies designer Aurora James, Nicola Vassell, and actress Nicole Ari Parker.
Two long years after it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, Dame Helen Mirren finally got to celebrate the theatrical release of her film The Duke. Lorraine Bracco and Jennifer Beals were among those happy to join her at the intimate screening hosted by Sony Pictures Classics and The Cinema Society in New York City.
Earlier in the evening, Mirren and Padma Lakshmi made for a very dapper duo.
On Tuesday, April 5, the legendary funk musician Nile Rodgers joined his longtime friend Ian Schrager at Bar Chrystie inside the Public Hotel for an intimate performance. Kicking off a new music series taking place at the bar, Rodgers played a number of hits from his storied career—which experienced its height during the era of Studio 54, one of Schrager’s first-ever nightclubs.
Vashtie Kola was the official DJ on hand for the evening...
...but musician Blu DeTiger made an appearance in the booth, too.
The scene at Bar Chrystie during Rodgers’s performance.
On Saturday, April 2, Brother Vellies designer Aurora James hosted the inaugural gala of the Fifteen Percent Pledge, her campaign to get stores to dedicate at least 15 of their shelf space to Black-owned brands. (Since launching the initiative in June of 2020, James has convinced companies as large as Macy’s and Sephora to hop on board.) Naturally, George Sully was on the guest list: He launched the Black Designers of Canada database right around the same time.
Tamron Hall was on hand to present Iman, who wore head-to-toe cheetah-print Sergio Hudson, with the well-deserved Industry Pioneer Award.
The evening’s dress code was “black tie, Black designer,” and the guests sure delivered. Eva Chen joined James in wearing Christopher John Rogers, while Laura Harrier made like Iman and went with Sergio Hudson.
Rosario Dawson took the opportunity to showcase Studio 189, the fashion label and initiative she cofounded with Abrima Erwiah.
Supermodel Joan Smalls took a seat next to stylist Eric McNeal.
And just like that, Nicole Ari Parker (seen here with her husband Boris Kodjoe) made LTW proud with a voluminous statement dress.
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