There’s a slight breeze in the air, which can only mean one thing in the world of parties and events—it’s officially gala season, and celebrities and socialites are gearing up for another round of fêtes celebrating everything from collection launches to museum exhibitions. So far, the New York City Ballet has thrown the event to top, inviting A-listers from every industry to celebrate 75 years of their famed fashion gala. But the Lincoln Center party is hardly all to expect this fall. There are store openings, fundraisers, masquerades, and so much more. You won’t want to miss one party dress, cocktail, or private performance from any of these events, so make sure to keep track of all the celeb-filled goings-on throughout autumn, here.
London town came to NoHo in the form of Knight Bar, a Burberry-themed takeover of the downtown Manhattan hot spot Temple Bar—turning the haunt into a check-covered English watering hole for seven days, beginning on November 10th. Before opening to the public, however, the brand hosted an event for friends, including Cara Delevingne, Chase Sui Wonders, Gabrielle Union, and more.
Joe Keery, Karlie Kloss, and others were greeted at the space by Daniel Lee, and given bites curated by Norman’s, a North London café. The British-themed menu—which included classics like English muffins, scrambled eggs, sausages, battered fish, and hash browns—will also feed reservation holders throughout the pop-up’s duration.
Of course, plaid ruled the dress code, with guests embracing the new colorways introduced by Lee. Attendees like Maggie Gyllenhaal, pictured here, matched the restaurant, which is now covered in Burberry red check, inspired by Lee’s Knight bag from the brand’s winter 2023 collection as well as his newly designed Equestrian Knight, a motif of the house since 1901.
Just a bit farther downtown, another event was underway—one thrown by Pharrell Williams’s global digital-first auction house and content platform, Joopiter. Guests including KAWS, Mickalene Thomas, and Cara Delevingne (who stopped over after Burberry’s event) celebrated the platform’s sixth sale, From Me To You, which features items from Nigo’s own personal archive, collected over decades in the fashion industry.
Thrown at the auction preview space at 60 White in Tribeca, guests enjoyed bites by Nami Nori and signature martinis by Grey Goose while they admired the ikebana-inspired table arrangements. Before heading home, they were gifted Levi’s vintage denim jackets as well as copies of Williams’s new book, Pharrell-isms.
On the evening of Wednesday, November 8, Julianne Moore distributed a string of warm bear hugs to Jeremy Strong, Michelle Williams and Williams’s husband, the theater director Thomas Kail. The reason for the heartfelt reunion? Creative Time’s 2023 Gala, an intimate cocktail and dinner celebrating the public arts organization; the event—also attended by Antwaun Sargent, Papi Juice’s Mohammed Fayaz and Oscar Nñ, and Hannah Bronfman—was held in downtown Manhattan and presented in partnership with Bottega Veneta. Moore, who wore a little black dress with a deep V neckline, took the evening as an opportunity for something of a date night with her husband Bart Freundlich, pictured here.
It was also date night for Williams and her partner Kail, who gamely posed for photos at the step and repeat with Jeremy Strong. The Succession star, of course, came to the gala decked out in his signature all-brown look.
Moore and Williams, pictured here with stylist Kate Young and curator and Creative Time executive director Justine Ludwig, sat for a dinner honoring restaurateur and Creative Time co-chair Jon Neidich, owner of venerable New York City institutions like Le Dive and Acme. Artist Rick Lowe and artist collective New Red Order also received awards—on the occasion of the opening of their latest project with Creative Time, The World’s UnFair.
Meanwhile, at the latest East Village hot spot Jeans, fashion girlies including Paloma Elsesser, Emily Ratajkowski, and Chloë Sevigny celebrated the release of H&M’s latest collaboration with Rabanne. Elsesser opted for a military-inspired jacket, while Ratajkowski wore her go-to slinky silhouette in the form of a silver fringed top and skirt, and Sevigny topped her floral and gold look with a fabulous faux-fur coat from the collection.
Sami Miró, seen here outside the party, also chose a fur look for the evening—paired with a leopard print bodysuit and Pleasers heels.
The cozy vibes were strong at the 10 year anniversary dinner for Max Mara’s Teddy Coat on Wednesday, November 8. Co-hosted by Keri Russell and Nordstrom’s Women’s Fashion Director Rickie De Sole, the event was held at Wolf restaurant where guests were treated to elevated Italian fare. Playful Max Mara bears lent a luxurious Santa’s Toy Shop feel to the intimate gathering.
Nordstrom’s Women’s Fashion Director Rickie De Sole welcomed guests including Charly Sturm, Tina Leung, and Ezra J. William.
On Friday, November 3, over 200 guests including Vanity Fair editor in chief Radhika Jones and Ariana DeBose, shown here, attended the star-studded and sparkling 2023 New York Diwali Gala. Held at the Mandarin Oriental in Midtown Manhattan, the 4th annual event is widely referred to as the premiere East Coast celebration of Diwali, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” a five-day jubilee observed by over 1 billion people globally. To ring in the event, DeBose and Jones wore chic and colorful takes on the Indian saree.
Jason Wu and Saks Fifth Avenue fashion director Roopal Patel were in attendance at the event, co-chaired this year by Preet Bharara, Jones, and Kal Penn.
Jenna Lyons brought the Housewives realness in a black feathered dress, glittering gold jewelry, and a pair of shades with a bold red lip—her signature.
On November 2nd, photographer Carlos Eric Lopez invited friends to the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles for his third annual Día de los Muertos celebration. Jessica Alba, Francia Raísa, and more guests joined to pay tribute to Latinx and Chicanx culture, and the Mexican tradition of honoring family who have passed—while bringing together chosen family.
Guests were treated to a dinner curated by Mexican chef Enrique Olvera—and got the chance to admire custom Willy Chavarria-designed outfits on two life-size Catrinas—or skeleton figures—flanking the party’s entrance. Once inside the event, award-winning actor and producer Gael García Bernal spoke after being honored with the inaugural Premio Vida y Legado (Life and Legacy Award). The evening ended with a performance by Mexican-American singer Ángela Aguilar. “I thought of a moment like this for a long time,” Bernal said in his speech. “A place and a ceremony that incorporates my culture, my life, the people I belong to, and our ancestors.”
Thom Browne is pulling out all the stops for its 20th anniversary—celebrating the milestone with a collector’s book, archival exhibitions, and, of course, lots of parties. On October 30th, following events held in Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai, Milan, and London, the designer returned to his home base of New York. There, at The Grill in the Seagram Building, Browne invited guests of the house to gather in celebration of two decades of fabulous fashion, as well as the launch of Browne’s first monograph created in collaboration with Phaidon.
Jenna Ortega sits to dinner at Thom Browne’s party.
Guests returned to the city where it all started 20 years ago for a cocktail reception followed by a dinner. Jordan Roth attended in pieces from his Thom Browne-designed Met Gala look, while Huma Abedin, Jenna Lyons, Christine Baranski, and other stars donned their tailored best. Rebecca Hall chatted with Morgan Spector and Lee Pace as Jenna Ortega lounged in a sequin-covered jacket. Despite the crisp suits, everyone was able to loosen up and have some fun, all in the name of Thom Browne.
Over 600 guests gathered at The Glasshouse in Chelsea on October 30th for The Studio Museum in Harlem’s annual gala. Artists, philanthropists, community leaders, and other prominent NYC names celebrated the museum as well as the evening’s honorees—artist Cy Gavin and president of the Mellon Foundation, Dr. Elizabeth Alexander. Spike Lee, David Byrne, and Cindy Sherman were just some of the notable names who helped raise over $3.2 million during the evening, supporting the museum ahead of the opening of its new building on 125th Street next year.
Linda Fargo, Lauren Hutton, Dianna Agron
On October 18, Lauren Hutton and Dianna Agron joined Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo to celebrate the re-opening of the Giorgio Armani in-store boutique at the storied New York retailer. Held within the 5th Avenue store itself, insiders from the worlds of fashion, entertainment, and art gathered to honor the relationship between the two brands, which dates back to the ’80s.
Thomas Doherty
Thomas Doherty, AnnaSophia Robb, and Zac Posen were also in attendance, smiling in front of Armani-clad mannequins. The event marked the move of the brand’s boutique from Bergdorf’s second floor to its fourth, as well as the updated offerings of ready-to-wear women’s collections, Made-to-Order services, and an exclusive selection of vintage garments from its newly developed Archivio range.
On Monday, October 16th, God’s Love We Deliver celebrated their 17th annual Golden Heart Awards, honoring Ben Platt and Scarlett Johansson for their work on behalf of causes addressing AIDS, cancer, hunger, and more.
The evening began with cocktails and French-Vietnamese fusion bites from Indochine, which guests indulged in while enjoying music and choreographed performances. Later, during the seated dinner, Some Like It Hot star, J. Harrison Ghee performed before Michael Kors, Matt Damon, and more made some remarks.
In addition to Kors, Damon, Johansson, and Platt, the event was crawling with big names, like Emily in Paris star Ashley Park, former political aide Huma Abedin, and Mary J. Blige, who surprised everyone with a performance to end the night. The guests dressed almost exclusively in Michael Kors Collection, as the designer is a long-time supporter of the cause.
The evening was a successful one, raising $3.5 million for the charity, enough to fund more than 350,000 meals to the clients and families of God’s Love We Deliver.
Actor Jeremy Pope was the guest of honor at a cocktail celebrating the launch of Persol fall collection and campaign. A dinner held at the SoHo outpost Sant Ambroeus, chosen to highlight the brand’s Italian heritage, followed. Pope wore a Fendi outfit for the occasion, but of course his glasses were Persol.
Friends of Loewe gathered at a dinner in London on October 10th to celebrate the second edition of the Loewe Foundation/Studio Voltaire Award. Director Luca Guadagnino and Taylor Russell had a Bones and All reunion, while Dan Levy, Ruth Negga, Jonathan Bailey, and more guests also helped celebrate. The award provides two years of support to seven underrepresented artists through rent-free studio space, professional development opportunities, and a scholarship.
The event also coincided with Frieze London, and the opening of Artists Buttons, a project on display at Loewe’s flagship London store, featuring buttons created by ten artists—including Ai Weiwei and Jonathan Anderson (seen above with Guadagnino)—in support of the Cambridge gallery Kettle’s Yard.
Nothing goes together quite like Judy Chicago and a dinner party, but the event held on October 10th at The Bowery Hotel featured actually food and guests, unlike the artist’s famous feminist work of art. Dianna Agron, Mickalene Thomas, and Derek Blasberg were invited by Dior to celebrate the opening of Chicago’s newest exhibition, “Judy Chicago: Herstory” at the New Museum. Attendees had the opportunity to preview the show—which showcases six decades of the artist’s work—before enjoying dinner on tablescapes featuring Dior Maison designed by Judy Chicago.
Blasberg and Agron pose together at Dior’s celebration of Chicago’s latest exhibition.
Balletcore was on full display on October 5th, when The New York City Ballet held their annual fall gala celebrating the event’s 75th anniversary. Celebrities showed up in their ballet best, many in looks from Wes Gordon’s Carolina Herrera, a fitting choice as the designer provided costumes for an excerpt performance of George Balanchine’s Who Cares? during the evening. Joshua Henry, Patti LuPone, and Vanessa Williams joined the stage alongside the NYCB dancers to sing standards from the American Songbook for this one-time-only program, which finished with a performance of Jerome Robbins’ Glass Pieces, set to a score by Philip Glass.
Guests at the gala included co-chair Sarah Jessica Parker, who attended in a tutu’d Carolina Herrera dress from the brand’s fall 2023 collection. Also in attendance was Diane Kruger in a beaded Givenchy gown, and Real Housewives of New York stars Ubah Hassan and Brynn Whitfield in their own show-stopping ensembles.
Across the park on the same Thursday evening, Thom Browne and Bergdorf Goodman celebrated the launch of the retailer’s Custom Made program, a two-week-long initiative that will allow clients to order special made-to-measure pieces from the world’s top brands. Guests gatehered at Goodman’s Bar at Bergdorf’s mens store.
Of course, guests suited up in their best Thom Browne ensembles for the event, with And Just Like That... star Katerina Tennenbaum pairing a tweed corset with a black mini skirt and white button down. Martha Hunt, meanwhile, went for a more classic look in a suit jacket and tie while the upcoming star of The Hunger Games prequel, Tom Blyth, ditched the neck adornment and wore just a cropped gray jacket and pants. During the event, guests enjoyed a performance by the art collective Kreemart, featuring a model sitting at a mid-century wooden desk. Suddenly, the model began to slice into the “wood,” revealing the piece of furniture to actually be made of cake.
It was a celebration of creativity on October 2 when 400 guests gathered in Chelsea for the Dia Art Foundation’s Fall Gala. Honoring artists Mary Corse and Lee Ufan, the event set out to raise funds for the gallery, its programming, and future educational projects. Guests, including Adrien Brody and Georgina Chapman, enjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres before taking in a special sneak peek of Dia’s newest exhibition by Delcy Morelos.
Also in attendance was legendary artist Takashi Murakami, seen here in front of Morelos’ installation El Abrazo (The Embrace), 2023.
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