Inside the NYFW Afterparty with The Blonds and Christian Cowan

An exclusive look at the two of the hottest events during New York Fashion Week.

I expected to find myself waiting in a seemingly never-ending line at the Edition Hotel for The Blonds’ afterparty, but we were the first ones there. Granted we arrived a bit early. The bouncer stamped the inside of my friend Sophie’s wrist and then my own, but it didn’t leave a mark. Perplexed and intrigued, we were directed to board the elevator on the left which went straight to the Paradise Club on the 7th floor.

We were greeted with smiling faces and champagne flutes. A glass of champagne wasn’t necessarily on brand with my Beetlejuice pinstriped coatdress which I styled with a long blonde Donatella wig under a Joanne pink cowboy hat, but I gulped it greedily none the less. I’d felt like I’d arrived!

And we had, but too early. The dance floor was empty. This gave myself and my BFF a chance to look around the space unencumbered. The Paradise Club features a gorgeous outdoor terrace nestled in the thick of midtown’s skyscrapers where Sophie and I sat with our drinks and wondered how many famous people we’d see once the party got started.

When we ventured back inside, the DJ was bumping artists like Lizzo and Megan Thee Stallion and the dance floor was alive. Some folks were dressed in simple yet expensive black ensembles while others went all out, presumably wearing garments straight off the runway. The dance floor continued to grow and grow until everyone was moving and grooving and laughing and smiling.

In attendance were the masterminds Phillip and David Blond fresh off their already legendary show inspired by Moulin Rouge, Jazelle Zanaughtti (aka @uglyworldwide), Jonathan Cheben, Serena Williams, Carmen Carrera, Gigi Gorgeous, Jordan Roth, and Susanne Bartsch, just to name a few.  The good vibes even continued into the bathroom as well, with strangers striking up a conversation about their outfits, the party itself, or simply where the line for the toilet ends.

The afterparty for Christian Cowan’s latest collection was held at Public Arts was held the following evening. It featured an open bar of specialty Svedka cocktails and showcased vials of Christian Cowan’s fragrance collaboration with the House of Sillage. The perfume smells delightful and I sipped the Svedka Cucumber Lime cocktail like water. The dance floor was similarly packed, including like likes of Patrick Starr and Tyler Cameron, but more laid back in contrast to the all-out dance fest that was the Blonds party. My friend Abbey and I made our way to the balcony where we saw musician MAX perform a short set. DJ Ty Sunderland took over after MAX and got the crowd grooving to hits everyone could sing along to.

There’s a stereotype that those in the fashion industry are standoffish and image-obsessed, but when you’d happen to catch someone’s eye on the dance floor, you’d share a beautiful moment of recognition, a smile, and a little dance across the room before turning back to your friend group.