As every fashion insider knows, the dog days of summer call for a few vital restocks: a fresh bottle of castless sunscreen to toss into your tote bag with the best of intentions of reapplication; a new portable charger, as happy hour turns into an all-night affair; and a mint pair of sunglasses, lest your favorite pair ends up forgotten in the backseat of a cab after one too many tequila sodas.
Last Thursday, as another muggy New York evening surrendered to nightfall and Brooklyn's warehouse district resumed its nightly role as the city's unofficial nightlife capital, the downtown set and their equally chic plus-ones made the pilgrimage to Signal for Sunglass Hut and Ray-Ban's rave celebrating their special capsule collection. Strewn amongst the warehouse-lined streets of East Williamsburg, a line snaked around the corner as hopeful attendees and invited VIPs alike stood red-light blaring their QR codes as the price of admission. Lip gloss was lovingly dabbed one last time before guests slipped behind the venue’s unmarked steel walls and into the humming fête.
Within steps upon entry into the patio, guests secured a ticket and were immediately motioned towards a corner station already flanked by an eager queue. Unlike the typical bar counter bounty, this one was arguably even juicier. Glistening white and lacquered in glossy enamel, the latest Sunglass Hut capsule collection of Ray-Ban’s lay neatly displayed atop illuminated trays for the taking. (Ah, cross that one off the summer shopping list!)
Created for Sunglass Hut, the capsule reimagines four of Ray-Ban’s iconic silhouettes in crisp white paired with cool grey lenses. A vintage slip dress-clad darling snagged the cat-eye Zena, while her maximalist accomplice slipped the ultra-chunky Wayfarer Puffer into his chainmail bag. Nearby, a leather vest-ed scenester reached for The Mega Wayfarer II and a CBK-devotee tucked the streamline oval-eyed RB4441D Bio-Based into her thrifted baguette.
Freshly bespectacled and fabulous, revelers streamed over to a nearby selfie shrine to capture every angle. Wrapped in a near 360-degree halo of full-body mirrors, digi cam flashes popped every few seconds and grainy LCD screens were passed around for approval before someone inevitably declared, “Wait, one more.” Nearby, an airbrush station churned out personalized ringer tees emblazoned with Ray-Ban x Sunglass Hut lettering. Across the chain fence hung guests’ bespoke statement piece of the evening, their red spray-painted declarations drying in real time.
The airbrush artist called out each finished design to the crowd, holding the personalized tees aloft as guests claimed playful creations like “Queens’ Queen.” And, as a matter of fact, there was one among us.
Just beyond the venue’s courtyard, hazy fog and a pulsing stream of Kim Petras’ latest tracks echoed through the concrete confines. Camcorders raised throughout the crowd as DJ Cailin Russo wrapped her set and the hyperpop songstress herself stepped behind the decks to supervise the soundtrack. Leather knee-high boots stomped in perfect rhythm under the ruby spotlights, while tiny kitten heels clomped towards the bar to join the (second) most popular counter of the night. Cocktails disappeared almost as quickly as they were poured, and every few songs branded mirrored trays stacked with jello shots emerged from the crowd like divine intervention — or maybe just the ancient art of not knowing when to go home.
Sometime just after the last Crimson Marg was thrown back and close-out DJ LSDXOXO collected his final cheer, guests drifted back toward the Morgan Avenue sidewalks. Airbrushed tees were folded into tote bags, and sunglasses that had spent the evening perched triumphantly atop everyone's heads were finally pulled over sleepy eyes as ride shares rolled in one after another.
After all, it was only Thursday. But summer nights in New York have never been particularly interested in respecting the calendar.
Click here to discover the collection.
