Stars kick off Pride at exclusive Café Kallmeyer soirée in NYC
Stars kick off Pride weekend Thursday night at an exclusive Café Kallmeyer soirée in Midtown Manhattan, where designer Daniella Kallmeyer and Apparatus artistic director Gabriel Hendifar hosted a star-studded dinner with live performances, cocktails, and dancing that ran late into the night—also marking Kallmeyer's 40th birthday. The gathering at interdisciplinary design studio Apparatus drew notable figures from fashion, film, music, design, and culture.
Key Takeaways
- Designer Daniella Kallmeyer and Gabriel Hendifar co-hosted the exclusive Café Kallmeyer soirée at Apparatus in Midtown on Thursday night.
- Celebrity guests included Britt Lower, Louisa and Abbi Jacobson, Maggie Rogers, Jackson Wiederhoeft, Derek Blasberg, and Toni Garrn.
- Attendees enjoyed Yola mezcal martinis, a dinner by Chef Jeremiah Stone, DJ sets, choreography by Kevin Stea, and a late-night piano singalong led by Lance Horne.
- Guests received Kall Gal t-shirts on silver platters, and Kallmeyer blew out candles on a birthday cake before the night ended.
Who hosted the Café Kallmeyer Pride soirée?
Designer Daniella Kallmeyer teamed up with Gabriel Hendifar, artistic director of the interdisciplinary design studio Apparatus, to stage the special event. According to Page Six, the Thursday-night gathering doubled as a celebration of Kallmeyer's 40th birthday.
The hosts welcomed notable figures from fashion, film, music, design, and culture, along with friends of the Kallmeyer brand. The evening was built around dinner, drinks, and dancing that carried late into the night at the Midtown venue.
Which celebrities attended the NYC Pride kickoff?
The guest list leaned heavily toward creative industries. Actresses Britt Lower, Louisa Jacobson, and Abbi Jacobson were among those spotted, alongside musician Maggie Rogers, designer Jackson Wiederhoeft, media fixture Derek Blasberg, and model Toni Garrn.
Lower and Kallmeyer both wore the gifted Kall Gal tees throughout the evening—a nod to the community at the heart of the Kallmeyer brand. For more star-driven society coverage, see our Celebrity Breaking News section.
What happened inside the Apparatus celebration?
Guests sipped Yola mezcal martinis and dined on a specially crafted menu from Chef Jeremiah Stone. Attendees were also gifted Kall Gal t-shirts served on silver platters, while DJ Chelsea Leyland kept the room moving.
Live entertainment anchored the night. Choreographer Kevin Stea, who worked on Madonna's celebrated Blond Ambition tour, staged a performance with dancers Javier Madrid and Charlie Sue Birznieks. Before closing time, Kallmeyer was presented with a birthday cake and blew out the candles in front of the crowd.
The evening ended with Emmy Award-winning composer Lance Horne leading a late-night piano singalong featuring theater performers Emma Pfaeffle, Elijah Caldwell, and Christian Lee Branch.
Why does this event matter for Pride weekend?
The soirée helped stars kick off NYC Pride weekend, drawing creative insiders to Midtown for an exclusive Thursday-night opener. With dinner, drinks, dancing, and multiple live performances running late into the night, the event set an early tone for the days ahead.
It also highlighted the community focus behind the Kallmeyer brand, from the Kall Gal shirt gifts to the birthday cake moment Kallmeyer shared in front of the crowd.