Ulla Johnson Threw a Candlelit, Floral-Filled Dinner Party at Bergdorf Goodman

“It’s Christmastime at Bergdorf’s!” giggled Ulla Johnson, the New York–bred designer behind the city’s favorite bohemian brand. This year she gifted Manhattanites a highly bespoke, first-of-its-kind boutique in Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue flagship, joining two other locations statewide. To celebrate, she and Linda Fargo invited a tribe of well-heeled friends to an intimate evening at the BG Restaurant, a space where the likes of Katie Holmes could duck in, grab a glass of wine, and enjoy a mellow, thoughtful meal in good company.

Glimmering partygoers donning their finest U.J. eveningwear sat at tables dressed with custom Ulla Johnson tablecloths (in her famous batik print) and overflowing with amaryllis flowers, holly berries, and candlelight. Each setting was punctuated by festive crockery, decorative menus (handwritten and gold foiled for added flavor), and a signature flower ornament, handblown by female artisans in Kenya from upcycled glass.

In the toasty room, steeped in South African florals, the frilly frocked guests were impervious to the blistering cold beyond the walls of the seven-story department store. “With Ulla Johnson, we don’t have to get away to get away,” laughed Fargo, making the case for boho fashion even throughout the winter months. “Sometimes you get away—even within this frenetic envelope of New York—just because you’re wearing an Ulla Johnson dress.”

The shop-in-shop, which opened on November 21, sits on the fifth floor and features signature Ulla Johnson motifs. “It feels like it’s been a lifetime in the making,” shared the designer and mother of three. “We’ve been having a conversation for a long time about a partnership and the right time for it, and it just felt like the confluence of circumstances had finally worked out. [Bergdorf] really wanted to honor our own voice within their larger collective. They cared very much about nurturing what kind of makes each brand special. It was a very exciting moment; we’re so thrilled to be here.”