At a NYFW Cocktail Party, New York City Mayor Eric Adams Brought the Fashion to Gracie Mansion

“I was just asked a bit ago if I would ever walk in a fashion show,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams told a fashion industry-filled room at Gracie Mansion, gathered for a cocktail to kick off New York Fashion Week, hosted by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and Spotify. “And I said, ‘Only if I can wear swimwear.’” Mayor Adams was joking, but with the evening’s 90-degree temperature, his lighthearted opening remarks felt entirely reasonable. Still, he opted for a vibrant red suit, living up to CFDA Chairman Thom Browne’s description of him as “the most stylish mayor in New York City’s history.”

As guests arrived at the mayor’s historic official residence last night, sounds of Beyoncé, Rauw Alejandro, and Bjork could be heard—all from the first official NYFW playlist, meticulously curated by Spotify with the help of CFDA designers and labels (Khaite, Mara Hoffman, Alice + Olivia, and Carolina Herrera)—adding liveliness to the already spirited event, which took place on the first night of NYFW and welcomed many designers on the brink of their spring 2024 shows and presentations.

Vera Wang, Gabriela Hearst, Carly Cushnie, Stacey Bendet, Alexandra O’Neill, Jackson Wiederhoeft, Jonathan Cohen, Edvin Thompson, Rebecca Hessel Cohen, Rachel Comey, Kenneth Cole, and Batsheva Hay were among the designers present, joined by a few of their muses: Kathryn Newton, Lukas Gage, Talia Ryder. Anna Wintour, Dustee Jenkins, Fern Mallis, and more industry players were also there.

Taking a moment to savor the anticipation for the week ahead, Steven Kolb, president of the CFDA, told Vogue: “I am looking forward to Peter Do’s debut at Helmut Lang, Ralph Lauren’s return, and to welcome Phillip Lim and Jonathan Cohen back to the schedule.”

In remarks to the partygoers, Browne reflected on the journey of a fashion designer with wisdom and humor: "I'm standing here 20 years after I started my collectsion. And the warmth and the heat of today reminds me of my first collectsion... It wasn't the best way to start a business. But for me, it was the best way to start the collectsion and to almost start my story."

Browne continued: "I think the most important thing this week is to really embrace that pressure and to enjoy the privilege of that pressure. As we gather here at Gracie Mansion, let us remember that ‘pressure is a privilege,’ in the words of the legendary Billie Jean King.”

His remarks hit home for many of the designers in the room; “It’s such a nice feeling to be here and feel the camaraderie of everyone who is in the same boat as I am,” said Bach Mai, “anxious about their shows!” (The up-and-coming designer would be showing his first runway show in a matter of days.)

Mayor Adams then wrapped things up on an uplifting note, speaking to the importance of fashion in the fabric of his great city: “Fashion is more than clothing. The piece of material that we place on our bodies is a way that we define ourselves... It gives us a level of confidence. It gives us a level of strength and courage.

In closing, Mayor Adams added, "Fashion is New York, and New York is fashion." With this sentiment in mind, guests were off to see what the new season had in store for them.