Mark Lennihan/AP Images
Tastemakers and influencers flocked to the grand opening of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards.
- On March 14, I attended the grand opening of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, New York City's new $25 billion neighborhood.
- It was full of tastemakers, influencers, socialites, and celebrities, from Anne Hathaway to Whoopi Goldberg.
- It was one poppin' mall party.
Last night, I was surrounded by dollar signs.
On my left, the real-life version of "Gossip Girl" - millennials wearing ascot scarfs, bow ties, and an air of confidence. To my right, female influencers dressed to what I call the "Instagram nines" - red lipstick, fur coats, and stiletto boots patterned with a dollar bill print.
I was at the grand opening of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, a shopping destination in New York City's new $25 billion Hudson Yards neighborhood that began construction about four years ago. It's the most expensive real-estate development in US history.
Tastemakers, influencers, socialites, and celebrities - basically New York's elite and then some - congregated at the invite-only party, which Sharif El Gamal of Soho Properties described as "Sim City on steroids, but real" to Real Deal reporter Rich Bockmann. Bockmann himself said the event resembled "a circus."
My first impression fell somewhere along the lines of, "This is lit."
Mark Lennihan/AP Images Reportedly 22,000 people showed up to the grand opening of The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards.
Perhaps that's because 8,000 people were invited - but, according to Vogue, some 13,000 showed up over the course of the evening. I wasn't surprised - it felt more packed than Times Square, but with fewer tourists.
It was especially crowded in the area where I spent a lot of my time: the grand opening of queensyard, the British-inspired restaurant by luxury restaurant group D&D London, whose portfolio of restaurants has been visited by celebrities and royalty like Princess Diana and Naomi Campbell. It stayed popping until 2 a.m., well past the time the rest of the grand openings at The Shops began to shut down.
Will Stanley
queensyard was one of the most popular places at the grand opening of The Shops.
I couldn't blame the crowd - I had a hard time myself parting with the grilled cheddar cheese and truffle toasties, not to mention the Moët vending machine.
Hillary Hoffower
The Moët vending machine at queensyard.
I ended up missing my red carpet moment, but Anne Hathaway didn't.
Evan Agostini/AP Images
Nor did Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Evan Agostini/AP Images
Whoopi Goldberg was also there.
And Andy Cohen.
And Tom Brady.
And that's not to mention designers Diane von Furstenberg and Vera Wang.
Liza Minnelli performed as part of the grand opening of The Shops' Neiman Marcus, the city's first brick-and-mortar edition of the retailer. There was also a marching band, tap dancers, and a capella singers.
Mark Lennihan/AP Images
The night's entertainment.
I ended up topping off my evening with a final glass of red and a stroll through an art gallery in The Shops.
Hillary Hoffower
Art at The Shops.
Brian Underwood, director of Oprah magazine, dubbed the grand opening "the fanciest mall party I've ever been to," on Instagram.
Same, Brian, same.
- Can't get enough of Business Insider's Hudson Yards coverage? Check out some more:
- Hudson Yards is the most expensive real-estate development in US history. Here's what it's like inside the $25 billion neighborhood.
- I got a tour of a $14 million penthouse in Hudson Yards neighborhood and found that it was perfectly designed to show off its best asset
- The CEO of an international luxury restaurant group opening a spot in Hudson Yards says diners want 3 main things - and it shows just how much fine dining has changed
- I toured the first residential building to open in Hudson Yards and it was clear it's selling much more than just real estate