by Eric Viner
It’s been a whirlwind of a season! Looking back, we reflect on some highlights from the 2025 gala circuit. But the best is yet to come as a new year of sure-to-be unforgettable evenings beckons!
As the chandeliers flickered to life and champagne flutes chimed across ballrooms from the Upper East Side to Tribeca, New York’s 2025 gala circuit proved that the city’s appetite for pageantry, philanthropy, and polished spectacle is as vibrant as ever. From Rihanna gracing fashion’s grandest steps at the Met to the candlelit intimacy of private club soirées, Manhattan danced once again to the rhythm of charity and couture.
A SEASON OF STYLE AND SUBSTANCE
Spring 2025 unfurled in a cascade of tulle and tuxedos. The Met Gala, held May 5 with the theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” brought an artful fusion of cultural heritage and haute couture to Fifth Avenue. The night felt like both a celebration and a statement with the Met’s staircase transformed into a living exhibition of modern elegance.
At Lincoln Center, the New York City Ballet Spring Gala paired George Balanchine’s Vienna Waltzes with a masked-ball theme that swept through the David H. Koch Theater in swirls of champagne satin. The event raised more $2.7 million.
Meanwhile, at the Rainbow Room, the American Friends of the Louvre Gala turned Rockefeller Center into a scene out of the Tuileries. The evening honored designer Mathieu Lehanneur with the Coeur d’Art award, its tables bedecked with pale pink roses and gilt-rimmed china.
THE RETURN OF TRADITION
This year also marked the resurgence of storied society institutions. At the Swiss Society Gala in February, elegance took on Alpine precision—fine watchmakers, financiers, and art patrons in white tie convened at 583 Park Avenue to toast transatlantic ties and tradition. The St. George’s Society Autumn Charity Black Tie Ball, held October 29 at La Victoria Social Club, reimagined vintage glamour with a masquerade twist. Diamond masks and feathered fascinators glimmered under crystal chandeliers as British expatriates and New York bluebloods danced the night away.
BRANSON COGNAC LAUNCH
A night of artistry, heritage, and refined luxe unfolded at Maison d’Artiste as Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and Silvio Denz, Executive Chairman of Lalique Group, unveiled the 505 Edition Branson Cognac by Sire Spirits × Lalique. The intimate launch event brought together tastemakers, collectors, and visionaries to celebrate a one-of-a-kind collaboration merging the worlds of fine spirits and crystal craftsmanship. Every purchase included a $5,000 donation to The G-Unity Foundation, Jackson’s nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved communities.
ON THE 2026 GALA HORIZON
As events are set for 2026, our social calendar shows no sign of slowing. The New York Philharmonic’s 2026 Spring Gala will be led by the orchestra’s new Music and Artistic Director Designate, Gustavo Dudamel, and the Met Gala in May always guarantees big-name celebs and red carpet glam on those famous steps.
The GiGi’s Playhouse Annual Gala, New York Cares Gala, and PFLAG NYC Gala will continue to weave together philanthropy and community across sectors, proving that giving back remains the truest luxury.
