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Add Texture to GoogleManhattan’s September humidity found a unique refuge in a NoHo basement. For one night only, what had been nothing more than a raw space was transformed into a sanctuary of early-2000s New York nightlife. The occasion was the launch of Vanity Fair’s special style issue, an event orchestrated in the midst of New York Fashion Week that chose to look back in time to better define contemporary style. By recreating the atmosphere of the legendary Bungalow 8, the party transformed a pop-up venue into a time portal back to the year 2001.
A Pop-Up Setting in NoHo
The choice of a basement in the NoHo neighborhood for this recreation was no accident. Far from the sleek structures of modern hotels, the venue underwent a complete transformation to capture the precise aesthetic of the original club. The installation of palm trees—a signature element of the 2001 decor—immediately set the space apart from the surrounding urban landscape. This design paid homage to the original concept of Amy Sacco, the founder of Bungalow 8 in Chelsea, who had envisioned her establishment as an echo of the bungalows at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
The decor, though temporary, successfully recreated that unique tension between California luxury and New York exclusivity. The guests—a select group of figures from the fashion and cultural scenes—moved through a setting designed to last for the duration of this one-of-a-kind celebration. Access to this space was strictly reserved for invitees, thus preserving the exclusive atmosphere for which the Chelsea address was once renowned.
The Hilton Sisters and the Spirit of the “Noughties”
The presence of Paris and Nicky Hilton anchored this reenactment in tangible reality. As central figures in the social columns of the 2000s, the Hilton sisters embodied the direct link between the golden age of clubbing at that time and the current event. Their participation was not merely a notable presence, but a symbolic validation of the tribute paid by the magazine.
This event is part of a broader context than just a regular calendar party. It accompanies the release of the September 2026 “Style Issue,” one of whose editorial pillars is an extensive oral history dedicated to Bungalow 8. This feature, titled “The 8 Ball: An Oral History of Bungalow 8” and written by Derek C. Blasberg, traces the history of this venue that redefined the codes of Manhattan’s nightlife. The party in NoHo thus served as a physical extension of this journalistic effort to preserve history.
A September Issue Dedicated to Marc Jacobs
Beyond nostalgia for the nightlife of the past, the event also celebrated the aesthetics of the present through the magazine’s cover. For this September issue, the choice fell on designer Marc Jacobs, whose portrait was created by artist Anna Weyant. This collaboration between a major figure in American fashion and a painter whose style engages with art history underscores the ambition of this year’s style feature: to bridge disciplines and eras.
The organization of this one-time event reaffirms the strategy of celebrating urban cultural heritage. Although the transformation of the NoHo basement was spectacular, it remains strictly limited to September 13, 2026. There are no plans for the venue’s long-term use, and the budget allocated to such an ephemeral production remains confidential. This fleeting nature reinforces the event’s exclusivity, reminding us that fashion—just like New York’s most memorable nights—rests on the art of the moment. As they left the palm trees of NoHo behind to return to the streets of Manhattan, the guests left behind an interlude that, for one night, brought the spirit of Chelsea back to life in the heart of Fashion Week.