Billy Porter Lured a Cool Crowd to Celebrate the One-Year Anniversary of L’Avenue at Saks

Just 20 minutes after the noted 8 p.m. start time, one may not have expected the top floor of the Fifth Avenue department store to be so populated (after all, fashion folk love a late entrance). But the one-year anniversary of L’Avenue and Le Chalet at Saks was a party everybody—and we mean everybody—wanted to be a part of.

“So what do you think about the turnout?” asked Saks’s President Marc Metrick, clearly pleased to be in the midst of the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd. Designed by architect Philippe Starck, the French Art Deco restaurant L’Avenue and the après-ski lounge Le Chalet has quickly become an A-list favorite one short year since its opening.

“The addition created a whole new dynamic and cultivated this culture that so many people in the industry wanted to be apart of,” he continued.

The dress code for the evening read “uncommon chic”—but what did this mean exactly? It was a phrase inspired by the evening’s co-host, Billy Porter, who caused an uproar of excitement as he joined the festivities in head-to-toe black leather, accompanied by a chain bag that read “Fuck You Pay Me.” Uncommon indeed!

For the night, L’Avenue amped up its party vibe with an illuminated Champagne tower welcoming guests into its lobby, while tunes by DJ Kiddy Smiles maintained the restaurant’s French ambiance. In the upstairs dining area, Pierre Hermé macarons were stacked into pyramids on the bars while an array of hors d’oeuvres found their way across the room. Guests found more excitement downstairs at Le Chalet, where two photo ops—one within a kaleidoscope room, the other with piñatas filled with raining confetti—attracted a long line of stylish partygoers. If the spontaneity and excitement got to guests, fresh piercings took place further in Le Chalet by jewelry designer Maria Tash.

Among those who found themselves indulging in the offerings of the night were Gwendoline Christie, Natasha Lyonne, Winnie Harlow, Jason Wu, Wes Gordon, Ezra Williams, Hennessy Carolina, and many, many more.

It’s been said that this New York Fashion Week will be a slow one, but standing in the glittering rooms, you’d have certainly thought otherwise.