The CFDA and OUSHQ Fête Diwali Noir In Style

On Tuesday night in Manhattan, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and luxury e-tailer OUSHQ marked the festival of lights with a distinct New York sensibility. Co-hosted by Steven Kolb, Jessel Taank, and Akbar Hamid, Diwali Noir celebrated the launch of a first-of-its-kind partnership designed to foster cross-cultural collaborations between South Asian, Middle Eastern, and American designers.

The evening unfolded at sleek cocktail bar Obvio—a dimly lit space infused with Memo Paris’s Madurai, a jasmine-forward fragrance that drifted through the air. More than a dinner; it was a cultural debut. The CFDA’s first-ever Diwali celebration doubled as a statement of inclusion, one that situated heritage within the global language of design. Diwali Noir felt cinematic in tone, sleek silhouettes, jewel-toned saris, and a crowd that reflected fashion’s evolving geography. Guests sipped Absolut x Kahlua Espresso Martinis beneath a wash of warm candlelight while trays of La Prairie Skin Caviar essentials and chilled Fiji Water punctuated the tablescapes.

Between courses, conversation turned to representation, creative exchange, and the ways cultural identity continues to shape fashion’s most compelling narratives. By evening’s end, it was clear: Diwali Noir wasn’t just a celebration of light, it was a spotlight on fashion’s increasingly global fabric. Notables in attendance included Jenna Lyons, Pritika Swarup, Avantika Vandanapu, Michelle Ochs, Kim Shui, Kal Penn, Micaela Erlanger, Jonathan Cohen, Azeeza Khan, Fern Mallis, Sai De Silva, and more. Photo credit: Sansho Scott/BFA