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9 Attendees Of the New York City Ballet's Fall Fashion Gala Share the Stories Behind Their Looks

Where fashion risks are encouraged.

Fashion
9 Attendees Of the New York City Ballet's Fall Fashion Gala Share the Stories Behind Their Looks
Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

Last night, the New York City Ballet hosted its 10th annual Fall Fashion Gala. The evening honored Vice Chair Sarah Jessica Parker who conceived the event in 2012. For the main event, designers including Giles Deacon, Alejandro Gómez Palomo, and Raf Simmons joined forces with choreographers Kyle Abraham, Gianna Reisen, and Justin Peck, respectively, to interpret one another's vision. The David H. Koch theater bore witness to rhinestones, bustles, tulle, and sequins onstage and—for one night only—the audience members matched the sartorial energy of the performers. Attendees enjoyed the fashion freedom this particular gala encouraged by donning vibrant hues, flashy embellishments, and eccentric details. Below, nine guests share the impetus behind their fabulous ensembles.

Laverne Cox in Iris Van Herpen;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"The look barely came together tonight—it was rough, it was complicated—but I'm just really excited to be wearing Iris [Van Herpen]. I'm a huge fan. This is the first time I've worn [one of her designs]. It is such an honor to be in couture at the ballet. What else could one want? The bag is—I forgot but I have a note—Published By."

Julia Fox in Zac Posen;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"Julia is wearing a look that I made about three years ago, pretty dramatic sleeves in a silver lunar lamé. She's a moving sculpture tonight. I asked Julia a few days ago, 'do you want to come to the ballet?'" —Zac Posen

"He sent me a photo of this and the vision came together. I was like, 'I have the shoes and the gloves.' I just had it. So here we are." —Julia Fox

Elaine Welteroth in Harbison;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"I'm shooting Project Runway—that's what I'm in town for. I raced off set, I threw the dress on. I was like, 'Thank god, it works.' A tailor took it in a little bit and then I jumped in the car and ran here. I'm wearing a Black designer. His name is Harbison. I've known him since the beginning of my career. It feels really good to support him. And I just love that it's like liquid gold. I feel like a trophy or something. It's my first time on a red carpet since I had my baby. I feel like I needed to find something that made me feel confident and this did that."

Jordan Roth in Balenciaga and Alexander Calder;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"This Balenciaga skirt has been waiting for its moment in my closet for quite some time. It felt like the ballet was the perfect moment for it to emerge. And then I had this image of Angelica Huston wearing an Alexander Calder extraordinary neck piece with a black turtleneck and I thought I need that. As it turns out, Sotheby's is right now doing an exhibition called Art as Jewelry as Art and this is one of its pieces. And it's on me tonight."

Gilbert Bolden III wearing his own designs;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"I'm Gilbert Bolden III and I'm wearing myself inspired by Christian Siriano and Miu Miu. [This look came together with] a sewing machine and a dream. I saw a bunch of elements I liked from each collection and was like, 'I could probably do that.' And with the help of our Head of Costumes Mark Happel, our [costume department], I asked for advice and then here we are."

Deborah Roberts in Alex Perry;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"I'm wearing Alex Perry, a designer I was not that familiar with but I fell in love with the dress. I love the color. I love the flowiness of it. And I thought, you know what, just do something a little different. This is a night where we salute fashion as well the arts as we bring them all together and tonight is the night to have a great time doing it so I am."

Zanna Roberts Rassi (left) in Et Ochs with husband Mazdack Rassi (left);

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"I'm wearing Et Ochs. The lovely Michelle [Ochs] is actually my date tonight for the gala. My look came together about five hours ago. I had a little bit of a meltdown about something else I was wearing—it didn't quite fit. So she came to my rescue and literally sent me this this morning."

Olivia Boisson in Tory Burch;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"I'm wearing Tory Burch styled by Christine Boisson. My sister is a stylist and she worked for Tory Burch for a little bit and this is her dress."

David Gabriel (left) in Palomo and Maxwell Read(right) in Loring;

Photo: Sean Zanni/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images

"I'm wearing Palomo. [The designer] wanted to give looks to people in the ballet that he designed costumes for." —David Gabriel

"I'm wearing Loring. I've recently come to love the color yellow so I thought I would add that in for fall even though I feel like yellow is more spring. I decided, 'Why not now?'"—Maxwell Read

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