In step with what has become something of a tradition, this year’s New York Fashion Week parties began a few nights before the official start to fashion month. Monday, February 9 belonged to the Marc Jacobs spring 2026 runway show, but by Tuesday, the French had arrived in town: namely, YSL Beauty, which threw a party in SoHo as part of their Love 24/7 event at “The Love Lounge.” Alex Consani, Paloma Elsesser, Olandria Carthen, and many more It-girls took photos and sipped cocktails around the sultry, low-lit nightclub, surrounded by bottles of the brand’s Libre Berry Crush fragrance. Uptown that same night, Nordstrom feted its 125-year anniversary at the department store’s 57th Street flagship with Thom Browne, who recently revealed his fall 2026 collection in San Francisco. Come Thursday, the ragers rolled on—with Miu Miu hosting a Women’s Tales screening of Mona Fastvold’s new short film, Louis Vuitton celebrating its new Express bag during cocktail hour, and Hennessy throwing a star-studded Lunar New Year party that drew Yerin Ha and Hudson Williams. For more photos of the best celebrity-filled parties at NYFW, keep scrolling.
On February 12, Gold House and Hennessy took over Chinese Tuxedo in Manhattan’s Chinatown for the Lunar New Year Celebration, kicking off the Year of the Horse and New York Fashion Week. Hudson Williams, Bridgerton star Yerin Ha, Padma Lakshmi, and Bowen Yang (both of whom are pictured here with comedian Celeste Yim) were in attendance for the starry event.
The Summer I Turned Pretty actress Lola Tung joined costar Sean Kaufman in the festivities, which included sipping on signature cocktails like the Ginger Mane, made with Hennessy V.S.O.P, baijiu, ginger, and lemongrass. The spirit’s history with the AAPI community spans more than a century, according to senior vice president of Hennessy U.S., Antoine Varlet. It was “as early as 1859 when the maison first shipped twelve crates of Old Pale Cognac to Chinese shores,” he told W ahead of the party.
Williams, whose star turn in Heated Rivalry has made him an It-name of the moment, sat in a booth to imbibe his cocktail before taking pictures with Eva Chen and Prabal Gurung (shown here). He was also noticeably overjoyed to see drag performer and singer Jasmine Rice LaBeija, who did a surprise performance.
Guests like Ha were invited to play a game of mahjong hosted by East Never Loses, or sing karaoke at Opera House, Chinese Tuxedo’s sister cocktail bar.
The party, for which Hennessy was the official spirit and partner, culminated in a lively dance floor, natch. Tung and Williams did a few spins before the latter took tons of selfies with grooving guests who were eager to give him a squeeze.
Farther uptown, Louis Vuitton celebrated the launch of its new Express Bag with a cocktail party at Obvio. Steph Shep and Aimee Song (above) both wore the new bag, which features LV’s signature monogram on its straps and a soft silhouette. According to the brand, the latest signature purse by Nicolas Ghesquière “symbolizes the rise of transportation that blends adventure and wonder, a new chapter through which Louis Vuitton crafts luggage that is at once sophisticated, feminine, and functional.”
Beverly Nguyen, Chloe Wise, and Brooke Wise (shown here) were also at the party, along with Ivy Getty and Recho Omondi. While DJs Museum of Love and Nancy Whang spun tunes for the crowd, the Express officially joined the family.
On February 10, Paloma Elsesser cut a chic figure at YSL Beauty’s Love 24/7 party at the brand’s Love Lounge pop-up in SoHo. She circled the room with Alex Consani, who air-kissed friends in the nightclub.
Love Island star Olandria Carthen caused a stir when she arrived wearing a Saint Laurent gown that Zoë Kravitz wore to the The Batman premiere in London in 2022.
Consani told W her plans for New York Fashion Week were to “sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep—most important.” But of course, there was still room for “a little bit of fun,” she admitted. “I mean, we’re here!”
Elsesser was also seen that night at Mikimoto’s high-jewelry event, where the brand unveiled its latest slate of jaw-dropping baubles. Uma Thurman wore a Mikimoto pendant necklace with tassels for the event, which featured 427 Akoya cultured pearls and a 12-carat tanzanite.
Laura Jung at the Mikimoto high jewelry party.
Meanwhile, Thom Browne, Steven Kolb, and Pete Nordstrom threw a party for their closest friends of the brand on Tuesday night to celebrate 125 years of Nordstrom department stores.
Even nightlife legend Susanne Bartsch was on hand to celebrate.
On February 9, Jil Sander hosted a panel discussion featuring creative director Simone Bellotti, W magazine editor-in-chief Sara Moonves, and model and photographer Guinevere Van Seenus at Marian Goodman Gallery. The event, titled “Acts of Learning,” was also held in celebration of Bellotti’s debut campaign for Jil Sander.
Kelsey Lu, pictured here with Bellotti, was also in the crowd for the discussion, which Moonves moderated. The trio discussed what the designer is mulling for his latest collection, among other topics: Is it possible to take away, while adding a personal signature?
