At The Whitney Art Party, Animal Prints and Bravo Stars Roam Free

On Sunday morning, New Yorkers awoke to a proper winter storm that restored faith in the natural order of a world where our children may experience the magic of a snow day. On Tuesday night, an art loving (or open bar loving) subset lunged over crosswalk slush piles to attend the Whitney Art Party, a fundraiser hosted by a curated set of young patrons and creatives. Against a soundtrack by DJs Raúl de Nieves and The Dare, a diverse guest roster — from First Lady of New York City Rama Duwaji on the arm of the writer who profiled her for The Cut; to First Lady of the Kitchen Martha Stewart; to Bravo royalty Brooks and Meredith Marks; to NYLON It Girl alum Eartheater — interpreted the theme of bold, maximalist style (“Dress code: Come dressed in your loudest prints”) while ducking in and out of an elevator transformed into a tequila bar.

There were a lot of leopard, cheetah, and zebra prints. Everyone was shooting jealous daggers at art publicist Molly Krause in a color-popping Christopher Raxxy puffer gown puffer gown of the strain Carrie Bradshaw wore in a blizzard scene on And Just Like That…. I was charmed by the teddy bear pajamas from the Gucci X Harry Styles HA HA HA collection on Zach Goldstein, COO of injectables clinic Velour Medical (until he told me I have to stop by their flagship office immediately). His companion, Luís Braga, went as “gay Patrick Bateman,” which Braga insists is on-theme because the American Psycho slasher “had loud voices in his head.” He also had gorgeous undergarments; Braga paid tribute with a silk Versace jockstrap.

“I don’t know how people in New York do it,” says Bravo star Ariana Biermann of wearing gowns in below-freezing temperatures. “I was just with my dogs and my friend having a snowball fight and then realized, ‘Oh, I need to put on a cute outfit somehow.’” Biermann’s Next Gen NYC colleague Emira D’Spain tells me she spent the snow day mostly “rotting in bed” apart from a singular outing to Starbucks. Her order? A Venti Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso with Signature Roast — never Blonde.

The storm carried small, unexpected blessings: It delayed delivery of the outfit that Allison Moore, a director at BCBGMAXAZRIA, had ordered for the night. In a pinch, she pulled out a dress she’d bought for a NASCAR race and never wore that couldn’t have been more on theme: An AKIRA chain-link “Can’t Catch Me” mini whose toy cars, she confirmed, really do zoom.

The museum’s ground floor may have been the place to drink a Paloma and stand in line for the step-and-repeat, but the upper levels offered quiet respite from spotting Réalisation Par dresses you’ve tried on and couldn’t afford, or from attempting to place faces you’ve watched on Instagram Stories for years but don’t personally know. Not to mention it’s an opportunity to view the world-class American art collection without the usual stream of field trips and tour groups.

“The most exciting thing that’s up right now is Calder’s Circus at 100,” says Byline co-founder Gutes Guterman. “It’s so rare to see a comprehensive study of one man’s passion project in its entirety.” When Guterman and her friend Ali Royals visit a museum, they tend to dress up like specific paintings. Recently, Royals transformed into Mark Rothko’s “No. 16” and Guterman went as Gustav Klimt’s “Mäda Primavesi.” Tonight they’re finding their paintings after the fact; Guterman’s Cavalli dress appears to be a match with “Racing Thoughts” by Jasper Johns.

When the clock strikes midnight and we’re out in the cold, having swapped stilettos at coat check for parkas and salt-stained boots, there’s a sense of democracy that a BFA-photographed party doesn’t necessarily allow for but inclement weather always does. Some of us are off to Gracie Mansion, others to Bushwick. But for a moment we all felt warm as we danced and sang along to “Girls” by The Dare.