Did you catch a swath of black cars speeding across Manhattan last night? That may have been our CULT100 attendees dashing from the Guggenheim to the afters at the Standard’s BOOM Apologies for any traffic jams.
The amber-washed venue, famous for its towering bar and litany of intimate nooks, played host to the INFERNO x CULT100 soiree. A mix of finely dressed CULT100 guests streamed in wearing everything from ballgowns to barely there numbers, alongside the downtown spot’s reBOMgular crew of dance floor staples in their club-kid finest. A few hairpieces towered so high they blocked your view across the room.
INFERNO, a Paris- and New York-based nightlife group founded by Dante Cardenas, returned to the city at the perfect time to catch CULTURED’s singular blend of tastemakers out for the evening, as well as travelers in town ahead of fashion’s most exciting weekend Uptown, the Met Gala. Outside, each was vetted by “New York’s pickiest doorman” Frankie Carattini, a fixture of People’s pulled away by the promise of reigning over an even more unpredictable door.
“I couldn’t pass up the invitation to take part in this special edition of INFERNO,” he told the magazine. “It’s like being in a living Guy Bourdin photograph. The party is era-defining and unlike anything else right now.” Even the nightlife vet seemed to be having a bit of trouble corralling the throngs dropping his name at the door as hopefuls spilled out into the street. Again, apologies for the traffic jams.
Amongst those let in were Aquaria, HorsegiirL, Fcukers, Empress Of, Anna Delvey, Delaney Rowe, Diane Brill, B.J. Novak, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. Upon entry, each was supplied with a martini, courtesy of the night’s official liquor partner, Belvedere Vodka. Its new “Dirty Brew” drew a crowd, as espresso martinis were mixed tableside and bottles of Belvedere 10 slipped by into VIP corners. On the floor, a few dancers managed to hoist their cocktails above the crowd, with minimal spillage onto nearby coiffes.
Tying together the front door stampede, Belvedere bar, and lively dance floor were the permeating sounds of sets by model and DJ Mona Matsuoka, as well as DJs Orson and Tolga. Thumping electronic tracks were only interrupted for a few late-night performances from Alexa Roosevelt, Chloe Jane, and Lola Von Rox. The latter kicked off with a spray-paint-splattered strip show that saw pasties go flying into the crowd and a trail of multi-colored paint dripped across the floor. Roosevelt and Jane then stepped onto the round bar for renditions of “Lucky” and “I Will Always Love You” that had the crowd singing along in a frenzy. Long after they had descended their perch, and nighttime had become morning, attendees were still weaving their way onto the dance floor.
If you weren’t able to join them last night, maybe we’ll see you next year.
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