There Was an Actual Rainbow at Alice + Olivia’s Pride Prom

There was a slight drizzle last night as guests entered the outdoor space of the Parrish Art Museum in Watermill, New York. Sure, sunny weather would have been preferred; but it occasioned a real-life rainbow at what was already a very ROYGBIV-themed pride party.

For those unfamiliar with Alice + Olivia designer Stacey Bendet’s longtime support of Pride Month, each June the brand supports the LGBTQ+ community with charitable merchandise and a great big bash. While festivities last year were put on hold by the pandemic, Bendet certainly made up for it last night. “I just thought, let’s do this,” she said. “It’s such a privilege to be able to celebrate, and we should honor that. Alice + Olivia hosts a Pride event each year, but this year we’re doing a Pride Prom!”

Unlike a traditional prom, no one needed to be “asked”; all were welcome. Alice + Olivia bused in a group of partygoers from the city for the evening—it was quite a sight to witness their heavily sequined disembarkment from the shuttle bus!—and arranged both a boutineer station and all manner of photogenic set-ups for prom-style group shots.

In attendance were Huma Abedin, AnnaLynne McCord, Drew Barrymore, Vito and Stella Schnabel, Andrew Rosen, and more. The event looked like the inside of a Skittles bag: Everyone wore brightly colored party attire (the dress code was “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”), there was a wall of rainbow flowers, and faux living-room backdrops were styled in monochromatic yellow and red. Streamers flew, glitter fluttered, and all the Casamigos tequila cocktails came replete with a lollipop garnish. There was even a Volkswagen I.D 4 car dressed up in Alice + Olivia.

Midway through the evening, the dance floor was ignited with the help of DJ Ty Sunderland; but the highlight came just before sunset when the sky turned a glorious purple-pink with a rainbow split down the middle. “It’s like they planned this!” said one partygoer—and who says they didn’t?