W Magazine Celebrates 50th Anniversary in Glam ’70s Style

Last night, to celebrate W’s 50th Anniversary, a crowd decked out in sequins, palazzo pants, jumpsuits and big, big hair took over the iconic New York Chinese restaurant Shun Lee for a disco-themed féte—a nod to 1972, the year the magazine was founded. Guests from the worlds of Hollywood, fashion, art and design filled the sunken-dining-room-turned-dance-hall under a sea of disco balls, sipping lychee martinis and snacking on dim sum in the intimate booths that surround the space. Party photographer extraordinaire Tyrell Hampton was there to capture every moment—before hitting the dance floor himself.

Hosted by W Editor in Chief Sara Moonves and presented in partnership with Lexus, the party turned out to be a true family affair: September Issue cover star Christy Turlington Burns arrived with her daughter, Grace Burns; Pharrell Williams, in surrealist Tiffany & Co. diamond sunglasses, stopped by with his wife and son, and DJ Ross One spun a mix of ‘70s classics and contemporary hits with wife Harley Viera-Newton by his side. The matriarch Anne Dexter Jones was on the dance floor with her creative progeny Annabelle Dexter-Jones, Samantha Ronson, and Mark Ronson—who joined with his wife, Grace Gummer, pregnant with the couple’s first child. Other family moments: rising model Ella Emhoff with her mother Kerstin Emhoff, brothers Theo Wenner and Gus Wenner, and the photographer Pamela Hanson with her son Charlie Klarsfeld and his wife, the curator Lolita Cros.

Michaela Coel was one of the first people to hit the dance floor, along with Industry actress Myha'la Herrold, who grooved with her boyfriend, Armando Rivera, and model Anok Yai, stunning in a white suit. In a booth nearby, Ziwe and Emily Ratajkowski (in a daring Tory Burch fishnet sheath) watched the action. Simon Rex could also be seen breaking it down, along with model Meadow Walker, actors Dianna Agron, Justin Theroux, Jemima Kirke, Nina Dobrev and Alia Shawkat. Not one, but two Succession cast members—J. Smith Cameron and Jeremy Strong—were also in attendance.

Elsewhere among the balloons, orchids and good energy: Karlie Kloss and Geena Davis, a truly statuesque duo, having an intimate moment in one corner. Newlyweds Ari Emanuel and Sarah Staudinger shared space with Huma Abedin, casting director Rachel Chandler, artist Nate Lowman, gallerist Nicola Vassell, and Green River Project designer Aaron Aujla. Chloé Sevigny arrived with Proenza Schouler designers Jack McCullough and Lazaro Hernandez, wearing a standout look from their most recent runway spring 2023 runway show.

Designer of the moment Harris Reed, fresh off of the announcement that he’s been named the creative director of Nina Ricci, posed out front with a brand new 2023 Lexus RX, for which he designed a set of custom “Ruby Red Rims.” Also representing the fashion world: designers Victor Glemaud and Edvin Thompson (whose brand Theophilio has quickly become a perennial NYFW must-see), photographers Guinevere van Seenus, Quil Lemons, and Ethan James Green. Makeup artist Dick Page and hairstylist Jimmy Paul, both frequent W contributors, posed for a photo against a wall of September Issue covers. Entrepreneur Natalie Massenet was one of the last to leave, and was seen chatting at the edge of the dance floor with her partner Erik Torstensson, and Kerstin and Ella Emhoff.

As the evening wound down, the DJ switched from disco to Beyoncé’s Renaissance—a move much appreciated by the W editors, who closed things out with a bang.

Scroll through below for a look inside the disco-themed evening.