In Arkansas, Cutting a Rug at The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art 

As a mannequin dressed in a Virgil Abloh-designed gown presided over the pre-dinner cocktails in the museum’s glass ceiling rotunda, it was here that the many takes on the evening’s theme—“Grit to Glamour”—came to light. Dressed in every iteration of Americana were supporters of the museum from near and far, and for some, like James Walton, just across town. His ensemble of choice for the evening? An American-as-apple-pie varsity letterman jacket with his last name embroidered on the back. For Natalie Steen, it took the shape of a feathered, vintage Art Deco find, and for Cameron Silver, a bedazzled denim ensemble with accompanying cowboy hat, a harbinger of things to come later in the evening. 

Slightly more formal in a glittering Oscar de la Renta confection was Karlie Kloss, who served as a co-chair for the evening alongside Derek Blasberg, Hank Willis Thomas, and Tommy Hilfiger. “It really is a world-class exhibit, and such a beautiful setting with a lot of very interesting and curious people enjoying every moment of it,” Hilfiger told us, sporting a suit and a pair of new sneakers, all designed by him, but of course. “I didn’t know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. I’d like to come back and see more of the incredible art, and maybe do some mountain biking. I just learned that Bentonville is the mountain biking capital of the world!” 

Once a pair of louche red curtains were swept open, guests were welcomed into a soaring room that, although it may be anchored by a Jeff Koons mirror-polished heart sculpture hanging from its center point, usually serves as the museum’s canteen. It had been entirely reimagined with low velvet sofas, wild indigo, blackberries, and violets, all native to Arkansas, and clusters of raw quartz rock crystals from a cave in the Ouachita Mountains placed throughout. “I brought a disco ball to hang there,” quipped event designer Bronson van Wyck, an Arkansas native, pointing toward the center of the room. “I decided to leave it on the truck, because when life gives you Koons…” 

Swanning through the room were Christy Turlington, Barbara Bush, and Arianna Huffington, who were later ensconced in a corner banquette for the evening’s auction, where Seth Meyers made a spontaneous appearance to sell four tickets to his late-night show. “Every person in your group gets to ask me one question,” he said, sweetening the deal with laughs from the crowd. “Now, be careful with your questions. Like, if you say, ‘Is this a good time for me to ask a question?’ well then, that’s your question! Don’t waste it. I’ll buy you a drink too.” 

In all, the evening raised a whopping $2 million, and came to a close as late-night revelers got their hands on a set of red sequined, light-up cowboy hats and made their way to the dance floor. “I don’t have to convince you that fashion belongs in an art museum,” Olivia Walton said as the evening came to a close. “It’s the dominant mode of creative expression for so many people, and it’s a reflection of our culture. This is a first for us, but I hope we have more fashion exhibitions because we try to take this anti-elitist approach to what art is. It’s a big tent, and fashion belongs in it too.”