Kat’s Eye: Courage, Couture & Connection at FGI’s Night of Stars

By Katlean De Monchy —

There are nights when fashion reminds you why it’s an art form—and Monday at the 41st Annual Fashion Group International Night of Stars was one of them. For the first time in 26 years, the gala, held October 20, 2025, returned to the Rainbow Room. From the moment I stepped onto the 65th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, it felt like the city itself was applauding creativity.

Wes Gordon, creative director for Carolina Herrera, Sarah Wetenhall, an honoree, and Martha Stewart, a presenter, for Night of Stars (Photo credit Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

The evening’s theme, “Artists & Icons,” was visible in every detail, from the glittering skyline to the conversations that were heard around the room. FGI President Maryanne Grisz, radiant in a fuchsia gown by Verdavainne, welcomed a crowd of designers, executives, philanthropists, and tastemakers. They were gathered to celebrate visionary talent while supporting the foundation’s mission to mentor and uplift the next generation

The stylist Law Roach (Zendaya),, with an honoree, Iris Van Herpen, and the head of Fashion Group International, Maryanne Grisz (Photo credit: Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

One of the honorees, the Tony-award winning producer Jordan Roth, revealed the courage that defines his approach to couture. For him, true style begins with risk — “It has to scare you a little,” he confided. The layered pink Comme des Garçons ensemble he wore that night was proof: daring yet poetic, sculptural yet effortless.

Jordan Roth, in a sculptural outfit, with Iris Van Herpen (Photo credit Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

It was a reminder that fashion is not just for being seen, but for being felt.

Iris Van Herpen received the Fashion Visionary Award, a recognition that could not have felt more deserved. Her creations—where 3D printing, laser cutting, and ultrasonic welding meet haute couture—transform technology into emotion.

Maryanne Grisz with attendees Ana Martins, Olga Ferrara and Katlean De Monchy (Photo credit Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

Celebrity stylist Law Roach, who presented her award, captured it perfectly. Her work, he said, “takes air and turns it into structure, science into sensuality.” Van Herpen thanked philanthropist Lauren Amos for her support and FGI for “believing in imagination that moves us all.”

Another attendee, Jean Shafiroff in a gown by Ese Asnabor (Photo credit Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

On the red carpet, Jean Shafiroff turned heads in a lavender gown by bridal designer Ese Azenabor, cut on the bias with a dramatic long side train. The gown’s fluidity and understated elegance captured both movement and poise, making her presence feel regal without overshadowing the evening’s energy.

Linda Fargo (Photo credit: Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

Linda Fargo, ever the master of bold subtlety, wore a black ensemble paired with a gold Schiaparelli necklace, proving that scale and confidence can make an accessory its own form of art.

The night also highlighted innovation beyond couture. Among the attendees was Evan Hirsch , a young designer who transforms Goodwill finds into striking new pieces. His work is a reminder that creativity often thrives at the intersection of resourcefulness and imagination—a perfect counterpoint to the gala’s high-glamour narrative.

Evan Hirsch (Photo credit Sean Zanni?Getty Images)

Also there were David Lauren,  Cyril Verdavainne, Jen Rubio, Kobi Halperin and David Yurman.

Fern Mallis with Kerry O’Brien, who received the Founder Award (Photo credit: Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

Other honorees included Sarah Wetenhall (Leadership in Luxury Lifestyle), Jen Rubio (Retail Trailblazer), Kerry O’Brien (FGI Founders’ Award), and Aïda Moudachirou-Rébois (Changemaker Award). Each acceptance speech wove a story of courage, perseverance, and collaboration, emphasizing that legacy is built not alone, but collectively.

Dennis Basso at the podium for Night of Stars, 2025 (photo credit Sean Zanni/Getty Images)

As the evening drew to a close, with lights reflecting off the Rainbow Room’s chandeliers, it was clear: FGI’s Night of Stars is more than a glamorous gala. It is a celebration of risk, vision, and the courage to imagine something entirely new—whether in couture, in business, or in the way we shape the future of fashion.