On Wednesday night, more than 400 people flowed in and out of Sandy Liang’s Lunar New Year party held at Boom, the venue at the top of the Standard High Line Hotel.
Some guests wore bright red, to symbolize good luck, but many were in looks adorned with bows and ballet flats, emblems associated with Ms. Liang’s playfully nostalgic namesake fashion brand.
The evening was an early celebration of the Lunar New Year, which starts on Feb. 10; Ms. Liang grew up observing the holiday with her family in Queens. This is her second year hosting the event with the chef Danny Bowien, and she hopes her friends will embrace the holiday.
“Maybe they’ll start their own traditions,” she said.
Draped over Ms. Liang’s shoulder was a piece she was “test-driving” for her upcoming collection: a large baby-pink bow that served as a handle for a bag.
“It just looks like a big bow, and then you pick it up and it’s actually a bag,” she said, while wearing an orchid hair bow and earrings from her new Lunar New Year collection.
As Sandy Liang’s popular black and red Palermo bows floated around the room, guests crowded each corner of the dimly lit space, which was decorated with paper lanterns and flowers on each table.
References to the Year of the Dragon abounded. Near the dance floor, there was a large floral arrangement shaped like a dragon egg. And guests were handed temporary tattoos that Ms. Liang said were inspired by a tattoo Angelina Jolie once had: These featured Ms. Liang’s name hovering above a dragon, instead of “Billy Bob,” the name of Ms. Jolie’s ex-husband.
Ella Emhoff, a model and artist (and the stepdaughter of Vice President Kamala Harris), slinked through groups elbow to elbow by the bar. Mr. Bowien, unintentionally matching Ms. Liang’s coat, lounged next to one of two fireplaces.
Nearby, the fashion duo Young Emperors danced to classic hits by Kelis, Peaches and the Black Eyed Peas and modern singles by PinkPantheress and Aliyah’s Interlude, whose given name is Aliyah Bah. Ms. Bah was in attendance, mingling with the crowd wearing her signature “Aliyahcore” earmuffs and Y2K-era clothing.
“I think my favorite thing about Sandy Liang, the person and the brand, is how unapologetically girly they are,” Ms. Bah said, while showing off her pink Hello Kitty bow and Lisa Frank-inspired nails.
Girls often become alienated from girlhood, Ms. Bah said, but the Sandy Liang brand supports her in embracing it. “At the end of the day,” she added, “I’m literally just a girl.”
