Maximalists, Unite! The Whitney’s Annual Art Party Made a Bold and Splashy Statement

Jennifer Fisher, Martha Stewart, Nicole Daisy Toye, Sai De SilvaJason Lowrie/BFA.com

Winter Storm Fern may have laid siege across the East Coast, but even a blizzard couldn’t put a dampener on the beloved Whitney Art Party. On Tuesday night, New York City’s color-loving partygoers braved the fierce cold, emerging from cars on Gansevoort Street clad in floor-length sequin gowns and a kaleidoscope of prints, stepping over three-foot snow pileups to enter the museum.

It was obvious that this year’s theme of maximalism and bold expression had found the right audience. The 6,200-square-foot main lobby was packed to the brim with peacock-patterned tuxedos, leopard-print duster coats, and ornate crystal dresses. Libertine, the evening’s fashion sponsor, could be spotted throughout the room, as guests from the worlds of art, fashion, and culture donned the label’s more-is-more pieces.

“What makes this year’s Art Party so special is its celebration of fearless self-expression. Libertine’s bold and maximalist spirit has set the tone for the evening, inviting guests to embrace color, pattern, and individuality in a way that feels both playful and artistic,” Micaela Erlanger, celebrity stylist and one of the evening’s co-chairs, told Vogue mid-bash. “The Art Party turns fashion into part of the museum’s living canvas—this night is always a joyful extension of the Whitney’s commitment to American creativity.”

Said creative energy pulsed through the room, encouraged by The Dare and Raúl de Nieves’ dance floor-filling music sets. Meanwhile, Martha Stewart captivated camera shutters at the step-and-repeat and Ego Nwodim and Erin Lichy piled into the ‘Dobelevator’—yes, a Dobel Tequila bar was inside the elevator—as they made their way upstairs for an after-hours exploration of galleries.

Cocktails in hand, attendees perused Calder’s Circus at 100, Grace Rosario Perkins’ Circles, Spokes, Zigzags, Rivers exhibit, and Ken Ohara’s Contacts. And once their art fix was met, a quick return trip down the Dobelevator delivered them back into the vibrant and buzzy fete where they stayed warm ‘til late.