Daniel Roseberry’s Victorious Fashion Journey Was Spotlighted at the Hirshhorn Gala

On Monday evening, the crowd at the annual Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden New York gala would have looked right at home at a Schiaparelli runway show. At every turn, guests inside Lincoln Center’s packed David Geffen Hall seemed to be outfitted in pieces crafted by creative director—and the evening’s honorees—Daniel Roseberry, from surrealist gowns and chain-accented dresses to handbags, pumps, and gold jewelry adorned with the keyholes and facial features he has made signatures at the French house.

Even if they weren’t in Schiaparelli looks, many attendees wore gilded accessories in honor of the designer, who received the Hirshhorn’s Leader in the Arts Award. “People ask, ‘Is fashion art?’ and ‘Are fashion designers artists?’ What is that boundary, what is that line,” Roseberry told Vogue. “It’s something I’ve always tried to cross a little bit, and to blur. Tonight feels like a very unexpected recognition of that.”

Roseberry had plenty of other artists on his mind, too. The occasion prompted the designer to muse on the “whole family” of creatives that have shaped his point of view, including his grandmother, mother, uncles, and sister Liz Fox Roseberry—whose social media videos ahead of her brother’s shows have also proven popular with the fashion crowd. Roseberry also reflected on artists who he has admired over the years, including Jeff Koons, whom he met for the first time recently. “When you’re meeting a bold-faced name that you’ve admired for so long, someone who has crossed so many boundaries, it’s always amazing to have a name become human, in a way,” Roseberry said of meeting the artist. “Jeff was so generous and gracious.”

Both of those adjectives are similar to how the night’s guests described Roseberry himself. “Daniel designed this for me for the Time100 Gala, but I wanted to wear it again,” said art collector and philanthropist Komal Shah of her attire for the gala. “It’s 3,000 paintbrushes and it represents all the artists who have gathered here. I think Daniel is one of the finest artists imaginable.”

When the bell rang to enter the mezzanine for dinner, everyone was greeted by rows of deep green tables blooming with purple calla lilies. Golden napkin rings set with metal sun rays, spikes, and stones brought a Schiaparelli-like flair to the space—and were quickly slipped into many evening bags as keepsakes.

After courses of mushroom carpaccio and Hudson Valley chicken, actress Emily Blunt took the stage to introduce Roseberry, deeming him a “tornado of talent” and commending his warmth and work ethic. “Daniel is someone who creates such an impact, one that is so lasting, and so resonant, not only amongst those who know, but even someone as fleece-wearing as my father, who still talks about that Oscars dress I wore with the levitating shoulders,” she said. “He was like, ‘It’s so avant-garde!’ I’d never heard him say those words in my life, and he also adored the extraordinary couture that Daniel let me snatch off the runway to wear to The Devil Wears Prada 2 premiere.”

Roseberry’s own heartfelt acceptance speech reflected on his trajectory, from Texas to the couture ateliers of Paris. “I’ve realized that my dreams were never the thing that was actually expensive,” Roseberry said. “What was expensive was living out other people’s dreams, muting my true self to conform to what others expected, and monitoring myself along the way. We get so occupied with this idea that we’re being watched that we stop seeing ourselves for who we really are.”

The Washington, D.C. museum’s outgoing director Melissa Chiu was honored for her leadership and risk-taking at the institution over the last 12 years—including completion of its newly renovated Sculpture Garden by Hiroshi Sugimoto. Chiu spoke of the Hirshhorn’s dedication to inspiring its 35 million annual guests, particularly the young children, with a wide-ranging variety of exhibits. Her departure coincides with the launch of the Melissa Chiu Museum Fund, which will support the museum’s educational projects, community engagement, and its new Hirshhorn Art School. (Chiu will soon take up her post as the new director of the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.)

After the excitement and enthusiasm of the speeches, the evening concluded with a performance by Latin pop band Santos Bravos. Members Kauê Penna, Drew Venegas, Gabi Bermúdez, Alejandro Aramburú, and Kenneth Lavíll performed a lively medley of U.S.A. for Africa’s “We Are the World” and Whitney Houston’s “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” before closing out the festivities with their own song “MHM.”

As for Roseberry, he’s keeping his eyes on the prize this fall—including the completion of his first New York City Marathon on Sunday. After enjoying his first glass of Champagne since the summertime, he’s ready to celebrate the two back-to-back milestone achievements by momentarily going off grid. “I’m going to go to Connecticut this weekend and catch the very end of the leaves changing, and just unplug a little bit,” he said with a smile.