Friday Fête: The 18th Hammer Museum Gala, Lenny Kravitz x Nocheluna, 50 Years of Bvlgari, and More

On October 8 in Los Angeles, the Hammer Museum honored artist and educator Charles Gaines, as well as ACLU attorney and transgender rights activist Chase Strangio, at its 18th annual Gala in the Garden. The star-studded event of 500 cultural leaders and activists raised $2.2Min support of the museum’s vital and renowned art exhibitions and public programming. The museum’s Director Ann Philbin hosted entertainment notables such as Lisa Edelstein, Colman Domingo, Lauren Hutton, and Steven Spielberg; artists Diedrick Brackens, Janiva Ellis, Betye Saar, and Paul Mpagi Sepuya; the museum’s architect Michael Maltzan; and previous honoree and curator Hilton Als. A captivating, multisensory installation by Refik Anadol, entitled Machine Hallucinations: Nature Dreams, welcomed guests into the museum’s courtyard. With cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in hand, guests visited the Hammer’s latest dynamic exhibitions “Joan Didion: What She Means,” “Picasso Cut Papers,” and “Bob Thompson: This House Is Mine.” A lively performance by the Gabriels made for a sparkling finish to the evening.

On October 12 in Brooklyn, the iconic musician, designer, and actor Lenny Kravitz unveiled his collaboration with the sotol brand Nocheluna Sotol through an intimate, celebratory evening. Inspired by the brand’s origins in the Chihuahua Desert, guests enjoyed tastings with globally recognized sotol experts, signature cocktails like the Desert Old Fashioned and the Fly Away, alongside authentic Chihuahuan dishes prepared by Chef Oscar Cortazar. Nocheluna Sotol’s distinguished notes of wild herb, dried stone fruit, caramel, honey, and oak firewood set the evening aglow. A warm toast by Kravitz and a singular performance from Mickey Perez brought the evening to an exceptional close.

Also on October 12 in New York was a night to remember as Bvlgari rejoiced in their 50-year golden anniversary at the new Jazz Club at Aman New York. In Manhattan, friends and family of the iconic Roman jewelry house—such as Coco Bassey, Leyna Bloom, Nicola Bulgari, Angel Coleman, Sai De Silva, Ella Emhoff, Ivy Getty, Alioune Badara Fall, and Danai Gurira—celebrated to the uplifting musical performances of Dev Hynes, Brian Newman, and Angel & Dren. Guests had the opportunity to view a capsule collection of limited-edition “Monete” creations, inspired by one of the house’s legendary emblems, as well as other high jewelry and fine jewelry treasures. The special jewels will be available exclusively at the Bvlgari New York City flagship boutique.

That night, as well, but on a private rooftop in New York’s West Village neighborhood, The Hao Life introduced special guests to two elevated new products of Eastern medicine: Surface Appeal and Sharp Focus, which officially launched on October 13. Co-founders Danielle Chang and William Li celebrated the brand’s first collection of premier superblends, invoking Traditional Chinese Medicine for superior holistic well-being. The event took the shape of a lush and uber-zen apothecary, greeting guests to organic herbal installations, one-on-one sessions with brand formulator David Melladew, and elegant bites by Chef Simpson Wong that were inspired by Traditional Chinese Medicine.

On October 13 in London, Off-White™ and Church’s launched their third collaboration of cutting edge footwear in “IMAGINARY CLUB”—an ode to London’s energetic landscape of music, fashion, and art. Held during the Frieze Art Fair, the event’s title was coined by the late visionary Virgil Abloh and unfolded into a dynamic evening of "IMAGINARY TV,” "IMAGINARY FM," and "IMAGINARY DINNER.” St. John Smith Square proved to be the perfect setting for the high concept modern jazz club. Esteemed guests such as Laetitia Wright, Jourdan Dunn, Sabrina Elba and Labrynth moved to rhythms curated by Benji B with performances by Yussef Dayes, CKTRL, George Riley, DJ Zakia, and DJ Judah Afriyie. The capsule footwear collection, which officially launched on October 25, includes the classic derby Shannon and the Burwood brogue.

Meanwhile, on October 13 in New York, the non-profit art organization that provides art instruction to the city’s youth, Studio in a School, celebrated its monumental 45th anniversary with a gala event to honor the Brooklyn-based conceptual artist Teresita Fernandez and the Ford FoundationPresident Darren Walker. Held at the Ziegfeld Theater, the special evening paid homage to the organization’s founder, the philanthropist Agnes Gund. Studio in a School is now an essential component of New York City’s education system, benefitting over one million children in public schools. Fernandez, the Artistic Honoree, was born in Miami to parents exiled from Cuba. Her large-scale artwork is universally acclaimed and closely examines the natural world in combination with historical and contemporary milestones. A fierce advocate for Latinx artists, she founded the Latinx Arts Futures Symposium, and is an energetic presence in the classrooms of Studio in a School. "My introduction to Studio in a School came from my friendship with Agnes Gund. I have great respect for what Aggie has established, which is built not just on financial support for art education, but on a much wider and decades-long commitment to actual relationships with artists,” said Fernandez. “In many ways, the success of Studio in a School comes from that deep connection that artists feel when they are asked to visit a classroom, when they relate and can see themselves in young people searching for a tangible way to shape meaning in their lives. One feels generous and authentic in contributing to Studio in a School, which democratizes access to the arts when our existing systems have failed to recognize its importance. It is in these small moments of recognition, validation, and access that a child can imagine a place of safety for creativity as a radical act. I'm delighted to be honored this year, especially alongside Darren Walker, whom I admire so much.” Walker, the Philanthropic Honoree, was previously President of the Rockefeller Foundation and has dedicated his life to public service and philanthropy. He has been a supporter of Studio in a School for decades, fighting against inequality and uplifting diversity in the arts.

On October 18 in New York, Chef Riad Nasr and Chef Lee Hanson of the city’s esteemed Frenchetteand Le Rock joined in launching Dewar’s French Cask Smooth—the legendary brand’s fifth edition in a double-aged, blended Scotch cask-finished series. The James Beard Award-winning chefs kicked off the first event in a dinner series titled “Dinner a la Francaise,” focused on introducing New Yorkers to the French style of slowing down, savoring, and celebrating, hosted in a luxury apartment in Manhattan. The fine crafts of Scottish Distilling and French cooking were fully embraced by Chef Nasr and Chef Hanson, who treated special guests to an immaculate five-course dinner and luminous cocktails infused with Dewar’s French Cask Smooth.

And on October 21, The Tampa EDITION opened in Florida as the brand’s fifteenth global property. The city’s first five-star hotel, conceived by legend Ian Schrager, in partnership with Marriott International, is now part of Tampa’s multi-billion urban development project, including 172 grand guestrooms and 38 private residences. Within the hotel is a variety of high-profile bars and cosmopolitan restaurants, with premier offerings by Michelin-starred Chef John Fraser. A picturesque rooftop terrace and pool deck, as well as an opulent spa and cutting-edge fitness center, are truly transformative. Classic and simple design by ISC Design Studioin collaboration with Morris Adjmi Architects, Bonetti Kozerski Architects, and Roman and Williams make The Tampa Edition a new leading, luxury hotel destination. There to celebrate the weekend were special guests from around the world, including Lenny Kravitz, Joan Smalls, Ian Schrager, John Fraser, and more.