Valentino hosted a carnival-style party at The Shed in New York on Wednesday night to mark the release of its first eyewear collection, designed by Alessandro Michele in partnership with Kering Eyewear. The event featured games, food stations, cocktails, and music by DJ Mark Ronson, drawing celebrities and artists.
The party transformed The Shed into a plush paradise with a mirrored merry-go-round featuring leather animal-shaped seating, a photo booth resembling a glowing theater, a mirror maze, and floor-to-ceiling Valentino red-toned velvet curtains. Guests including Ella Emhoff, Miles Greenberg, Leigh Lezark, Dylan Kelly, and Jordan Rand enjoyed games at the Tin Can Alley and confectionery stations offering mini-donuts, veal crème trays, cotton candy, and “Vlogo” popcorn buckets. Two craft cocktail stations served Grey Goose cosmopolitans and Macallan old fashions. Filmmaker and actress Lilly Hartley praised the setup, saying, “I love that Valentino provided some fun activities instead of just having guests come to see the new collection.” Scream 7 actress Celeste O’Connor added, “This set-up is absolutely gorgeous—and it’s really inspiring to be in a room full of so many incredible artists.” Male model Jordun Love noted, “The way that Valentino put this together is very chic. The color-scheme and activations are really complementary.” Handbag designer Dami Ariyo said, “The new eyewear is really cute, and tonight’s theme really sells it!” DJ Mark Ronson spun bass-heavy tunes and mashups featuring Madonna, Bad Bunny, Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Tyla, and others. Activist and model Yves Mathieu-East exclaimed, “Mark has us all feeling groovy and sexy!” Soul singer Meah Pace, who flew in from touring in Japan, shared, “Having a good time and being able to dance to great music is revolutionary, and especially needed for globally tough times like we’re living in today.” As guests departed, they viewed two rotating glossy red Ferris wheels displaying the eyewear: large tortoise frames, studded oval shades, slim metal constructions with crystal details, and sleek cat-eye glasses, each with the Valentino “Vlogo.”
