An Inside Look at NYFW's Hottest Parties and Celebrity-Packed Events

Saks Fifth Avenue launched New York Fashion Week in style with a glamorous soirée at the newly opened Crane Club Restaurant, hosted by Saks Global President & Chief Commercial Officer Emily Essner. The event featured a performance by Caroline Polachek, who serenaded the fashionable crowd with hits like “Bunny Is A Rider” and “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings,” while French DJ duo Doppelganger Paris kept the energy high between sets.

Celebrities and industry faces—including Laura Harrier, Nicky Hilton Rothschild, Prabal Gurung, and Candace Bushnell—gathered for an evening of luxe dining, complete with caviar, a raw bar, and other decadent treats. With opulent decor, an Instagram-worthy champagne tower, and a lively dance floor, Saks once again set the tone for the week ahead.

Stella McCartney unveiled her new Rasant unisex trainers in collaboration with Adidas at an event held at her SoHo flagship in New York City on February 5. Co-hosted by model Alex Consani, who stars in the sneaker’s campaign, the evening blended fashion and sport with a DJ set by Zuri Marley and a creative laces installation inspired by the Rasant’s design.

Guests—including Lila Moss, Ella Emhoff, Jemima Kirke, and Blu DeTiger—sipped Avaline sparkling wine and enjoyed vegan bites while mingling with fellow trailblazers from the fashion and creative worlds. Originally debuted during Stella’s Summer 2025 Paris Fashion Week show, the Rasant’s high-top silhouette, crafted from vegan materials, pays homage to vintage racing shoes and Adidas’ iconic Monza sneaker from the ‘70s and ‘80s. 

The Black in Fashion Council marked a milestone with a celebratory dinner honoring 10 seasons of its Discovery Showroom on February 4 at WSA in New York City. Co-hosted by Sandrine Charles and Lindsay Peoples, the event recognized the achievements of over 50 emerging Black designers who have showcased their work through the showroom, including those like Diotima, Theophilio, and House of Aama.

The evening brought together an celebrity-studded crowd—including Ari Lennox, Chanel Iman, Jordyn Woods, and Sergio Hudson—who drank Hennessy-crafted cocktails and celebrated the impact of Black creatives in the fashion industry. 

To mark the official start of New York Fashion Week, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) hosted an intimate cocktail party on February 5 at the Rockefeller Center’s Bar SixtyFive at Rainbow Room. Co-hosted by CFDA Chairman Thom Browne and board member Tory Burch, the event gathered top designers, industry leaders, and press to celebrate the upcoming American Collections season.

Guests, including Zac Posen, Jenna Lyons, Molly Sims, and Suni Lee, sipped on cocktails while CFDA CEO Steven Kolb welcomed the crowd and gave remarks on creative talent featured on the official NYFW schedule. The soirée also underscored CFDA's ongoing partnership with Rockefeller Center, following their public streaming of the American collections at The Rink last September.

Brooks Brothers and Gold House rang in the Lunar New Year with a dinner party at Mr. Chow in New York City. Hosted by CEO Ken Ohashi and Gold House CEO and Co-Founder Bing Chen, alongside Creative Director Michael Bastian, the event gathered 50 guests, including Hasan Minhaj, Bowen Yang, Selma Blair, Philip Lim, and Priya Krishna.

Guests were entertained with a traditional dragon dance and live noodle-making demonstration, and some shared their personal wishes for the year ahead on a full-sized "wish tree." This marked the third year of Brooks Brothers’ Lunar New Year capsule collection in partnership with Gold House, featuring playful snake motifs.

Bloomingdale’s and Flamingo Estate Founder Richard Christiansen kicked off New York Fashion Week on February 6 with an intimate dinner at Casino in Dimes Square, celebrating the launch of The Carousel at 59th Street pop-up. The shop, housed within Bloomingdale’s 59th Street flagship and online, brings Flamingo Estate’s garden-grown goods to NYC in a vibrant, nature-inspired installation. Jenna Lyons, Laura Brown, Jessel Taank, and Vanessa Hong were among those who gathered for an evening of cocktails, branzino, and grilled prawns. In honor of each attendee, Bloomingdale’s donated $100 to Baby2Baby’s WildFire Relief Fund, supporting relief efforts in Christiansen’s hometown. 

SoHo welcomed YSL on February 6 with a special pop-up, YSL’s Beauty Candy Club, drawing celebrity guests for a night of live music and interactive makeup bars. In celebration of New York Fashion Week, YSL brought out Kesha to perform some of her top hits including “Tik Tok” and “Your Love Is My Drug.” Among the crowd were celebrities and influencers such as Vinnie Hacker, Lila Moss, Gabbriette, and Nicole Richie. The event highlighted YSL’s latest beauty launches, including "Candy Glaze Gloss Sticks" and "Make Me Blush" powders. 

On February 6, Prada and author Ottessa Moshfegh co-hosted an intimate evening at a SoHo venue to unveil Ten Protagonists, Moshfegh's latest limited-edition Prada publication, featuring imagery from Prada's most recent campaign starring Carey Mulligan. Following the presentation, guests enjoyed cocktails and DJ sets by k.tea and Channel Tres. The guest list boasted a mix of artists, actors, and creatives, including Carey Mulligan, Cindy Sherman, Sunisa Lee, Maya Hawke, and Sadie Sink. 

On February 5, the CFDA, in partnership with KF Fashion and N4XT Experiences, hosted a dinner at Chez Margaux to celebrate the launch of KFN, a new platform set to reshape New York Fashion Week. Led by CFDA President Steven Kolb and KFN Co-Founder Imad Izemrane, the event gathered top designers like Joseph Altuzarra, Mike Amiri, and Prabal Gurung, alongside industry leaders Gary Wassner and Jay Penske. Models Winnie Harlow, Martha Hunt, and Anne Vyalitsyna were also in attendance. 

Jimmy Choo hosted an exclusive dinner at Jean’s in NoHo on February 6, celebrating the Spring 2025 campaign starring Academy Award-nominated actress Chloë Sevigny. Hosted by Creative Director Sandra Choi and Sevigny herself, the evening celebrated the campaign alongside NYFW with an intimate performance from icon Patti Smith and her daughter Jesse Paris Smith. The star-studded guest list included Martha Stewart, Jack Harlow, Lisa Rinna, and Cole Sprouse, among others. The night transitioned into an afterparty, with Grammy-nominated artist The Dare curating the soundtrack. 

Brett Heyman hosted a one-night-only cabaret at Brass New York on February 7 to celebrate Seedies, the debut edibles from Flower by Edie Parker, the female-founded cannabis and smoking accessories brand. The evening drew a crowd from the worlds of fashion, art, and entertainment, including comedian Amy Sedaris, actor Clara McGregor, and musician Charlotte Lawrence. The highlight of the night was a performance by Real Housewives of New York City Luann de Lesseps, who debuted three cheeky, weed-ified songs—“Money Can’t Buy You Grass,” “C’est Bong, C’est Bong!,” and “Viva Sativa”—to an audience that included Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Bronwyn Newport. Guests indulged in the three vegan, gluten-free flavors, paired with curated cocktails.

Woodford Reserve kicked off NYFW on Thursday, February 6, with an exclusive celebration alongside fashion designer Sergio Hudson at Studio 525. The event, held on the eve of Hudson’s runway show, also marked the launch of Woodford Reserve’s coveted Double Double Oaked whiskey. Notable guests included musician Muni Long, model Marina Nery, fashion designer Anifa Mvuemba, beauty mogul Nyakio Grieco, and Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall. 

Calvin Klein celebrated the debut of Veronica Leoni’s Fall 2025 Calvin Klein Collection with an intimate gathering on February 7 at Clemente Bar, the cocktail lounge and chef’s counter from Chef Daniel Humm and artist Francesco Clemente, located above Eleven Madison Park in the Flatiron District. The event drew in a sea of celebrities, including Sabrina Elba, Alexander Skarsgård, Rachel Zoe, Law Roach, and Eva Chen, among others. 

Paris Texas and The Webster kicked off NYFW on February 6 with an exclusive cocktail event at Socialista Lounge, celebrating the launch of the Paris Texas pop-up at The Webster’s SoHo location. The evening drew a large crowd including Dascha Polanco, Tylynn Nguyen, Teddy Quinlivan, and Daria Strokous. Guests enjoyed curated cocktails and music, blending Havana’s tropical charm with Parisian elegance and Texan edge, a nod to The Webster’s Miami roots. The Paris Texas pop-up at The Webster SoHo runs through February 18.

Fashion designer Willy Chavarria celebrated his New York homecoming with an intimate afterparty on February 8 at Sloane’s at The Manner, following his Fall/Winter 2025 show in Paris. The event also marked the launch of Chavarria’s exclusive Tarantula Paris capsule collection with Adidas and a limited-edition zine shot by Gustavo García-Villa, both unveiled earlier that day at Dover Street Market New York. The soirée drew stars like Law Roach, Dascha Polanco, Amanda Lepore, and Shameik Moore.

Christopher John Rogers made a triumphant return to the NYFW calendar on February 6 with the debut of Collection 015: Exhale, celebrating the milestone with an intimate afterparty at Sloane’s at The Manner in SoHo. The space buzzed with energy as guests, dressed in Rogers’ signature vibrant prints and bold colors, mingled with NYC’s creative elite, including Antwaun Sargent, Tina Leung, Sean Garrette, and Presley Oldham. Cocktails by Johnnie Walker Blue Label fueled the festivities, while DJ Skype Williams kept the room filled with music. 

New York Fashion Week got a hint of early 2000s nostalgia on February 9 as Von Dutch hosted a late-night party in collaboration with Barlou. The brand brought together a crowd of fashion insiders including Justine Skye, Lily Chee, Jordan Daniels, Anaa Saber, ASAP Nast, and Jahleel Weaver. With DJ sets by Luka Sabbat, Tommy Gold, and Zoe Gitter, guests enjoyed a taste of the classic Von Dutch aesthetic. Can we place a bet that they probably played "Von Dutch" by Charli XCX?