Vogue’s First Friday in May Celebration Takes Harlem by Storm

“Blue” may have been the evening’s dress code inspiration, but it certainly wasn’t the mood at Vogue’s First Friday in May celebration. With Doechii, Law Roach, and Tyler Mitchell playing host at Harlem’s subterranean Ginny’s Supper Club, the energy was dialed up from the moment guests descended the staircase.

Word spread fast. By 9:30 p.m., a crowd of paparazzi and onlookers had clustered along Lenox Avenue, angling for a glimpse inside. They got their wish when a party bus rolled up and Doechii emerged—beaming in crisp Louis Vuitton tailoring and carrying a basket bag stuffed with sunflowers. Cue the flashbulbs.

Down below, the pre-Met Gala warm-up was in full swing. Law Roach, dressed in a sky-blue embroidered band jacket, made the rounds just as Harlem native A$AP Rocky stepped in—prompting a burst of cheers and a swell on the dance floor. Banquettes became makeshift stages, the music surged, and the room took on the uncontainable energy of a night just beginning.

Ensuring the vibe was pitch-perfect, Doechii tapped her longtime DJ and Grammy-winning emcee Miss Milan to helm the decks. The Anxiety hitmaker swirled around the room, glass of wine in one hand, mini fan in the other—unbothered, unbotherable.

Among the arrivals: Colman Domingo, co-chairing this year’s Met Gala, looking sharp in a strong-shouldered blazer; Ayo Edebiri, with her Rabanne 1969 disc bag in tow; Leon Bridges in double denim; and Moses Sumney, whose cowboy hat deserved its own spotlight. Elsewhere, Athena Calderone and Aurora James caught up in a booth, Imaan Hammam air-kissed designer Jonathan Simkhai, and Laura Harrier turned heads in a cutout number that hinted at what Monday night might bring.

Tyler Mitchell, who photographed the May issue’s Superfine: Tailoring Black Style editorial (styled by Roach), reunited with one of its stars, vintage collector Lana Turner, as she spun across the floor. Also spotted: Marcus Samuelsson, the beloved chef and owner of Red Rooster Harlem—the restaurant perched just above the festivities—swaying near the stage as the band kept the tempo high.

Behind a velvet curtain, Sephora’s beauty suite kept the glam going with touch-ups courtesy of cult-favorite Black-owned brands like Fenty Beauty, Danessa Myricks, and Lys. Cocktail names nodded to the night’s theme—Just Dandy, Tailor Made, and First Blush—all served by bartenders with floral boutonnieres by Karla Smith-Brown of OLIVEE Floral. Saratoga Spring Water bottles, engraved with “Vogue”, helped guests hydrate between silver trays of soul food classics.

If the scene was any indication, Met Gala Monday is shaping up to be an all-timer.