Nordstrom Manhattan Is Here At Last! Inside the Store’s Splashy Opening-Night Party

“The rain’s not stopping anybody, clearly—we’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” shared Brooke Shields, braving the drizzle in Gianvito Rossi boots and a double-breasted Balmain blazer dress. At this point her sights were set on some late-evening shopping and celebrating—and she was not alone.

On Tuesday evening, the Nordstrom organization (which, after 118 years, is still helmed by the Nordstrom family) threw a splashy concept party to kick off the brand’s first-ever Manhattan outpost. Having previously carried exclusively menswear, the new location wields seven floors of beauty, fashion, and luxury items.

The festivities kicked off with faces like Karlie Kloss, Winnie Harlow (who launched a boot collection with Steve Madden in celebration of the opening), and Anna Wintour. Once inside the shopping wonderland, guests grabbed a vodka-hibiscus cocktail and allowed their curiosity to steer them through the labyrinthine series of designer outposts and installations. Each floor boasted completely different to-dos, from makeup-inspired cotton candy and embroidery stations to flower carts (“Where’d you get that bouquet?!” inquiries were frequent) and interactive sculptures.

All things pointed skyward as guests made their way from floor to floor; with each story climbed, a new experience and menu. The third floor offered a satiating harvest experience with caramelized-apple-and-onion grilled-cheese bites, the fourth floor a Chinatown dim sum station. On the top floor guests enjoyed live music (the Roots, Questlove, and more), and lucky attendees were given access to the VIP lounge.

As far as the store’s permanent offerings and fixtures: a secluded jazz lounge that evokes a 1950s glamour and restaurants from Seattle chefs that are inspired by the Pacific Northwest (Ethan Stowell’s Wolf) and the Pacific Rim (Tom Douglas’s Hani Pacific). Wherever you found yourself, it felt worlds away from wherever you traipsed over from five minutes prior.

What draws the industry’s finest to shop under one roof? “I think it’s so special these days to actually go and interact with human beings when you’re buying something special for yourself,” shared Maggie Gyllenhaal. “It has that kind of old-fashioned feeling of the way it was in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s.” Pete Nordstrom, copresident of the luxe outfitter, was equally impressed: "It still feels kind of surreal that it’s even here. It’s exciting to see something come from an idea, a concept, a drawing, to a legitimate space.”

Nordstrom opens to the public on Thursday, October 24.