New York Fashion Week comes to a close Monday night with TUNL’s extravagant gala at Lavan Midtown. Detroit Pistons superstar point guard Cade Cunningham hosted the second annual event with rap star Gunna blessing the stage for the attendees.

Gunna was announced as the night’s “halftime” guest, presented by MBG360. The four-time Grammy nominee appeared onstage at 1 a.m. donning all Black, performing two of his hit records, “one of wun” and “fukumean,” pleasing the gala’s guests, who, politely, clamored for photos and videos.

TUNL, a multidiscipline platform that fuses fashion, culture, and sports co-founded by Ashley Champ, provided a slew of activations and experiences for the gala guests. This year’s theme was “Woven Knights,” honoring forward-thinking athletes, creators, and visionaries, fusing “resilience, intention, and style into a shared legacy.”

The event was a lovely mixture of athletes, musicians, influencers, TV stars, and everyday New Yorkers dressed to the absolute nines.

  • Ari Lennox. Credit: (Darian DiCianno photos)
  • Cade Cunningham, Gunna. Credit: (Darian DiCianno photos)

The gala was a star-studded occasion with singers like Ari Lennox and rapper Coi LeRay on hand. Along with Cunningham, other renowned athletes were in attendance, including NBA defensive stalwart Patrick Beverly, Philadelphia 76ers guard Jared McCain, and WNBA stars Rickea Jackson and Te’a Cooper. Television stars were also on hand at the Lavan Midtown. “Bel-Air” star Jabari Banks (Will Smith) and Emmy-nominated director Coodie Simmons (Netflix’s “Jeen-yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy”) were in attendance, mingling among the people.

All night long, guests enjoyed the sounds of the century’s best hip-hop music from three talented DJs: TJ Banks, Rae Sada, and Goldie Harris. Together they spun tracks like Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s “luther,” Future’s “Mask Off,” Doechii’s “NISSAN ALTIMA,” and DJ Khaled and Drake’s “I’m On One.” Guests, dressed in Balenciaga, Louis Vuitton, or perfectly thrifted items, went back and forth from dancing, drinking Remy Martin and Ginger Ale cocktails, and partaking in delicious hors d’oeuvres; flaky and filling empanadas filled with cheeseburger, shrimp, or spinach and artichokes.

One such highlight of the gala was the unveiling of TUNL’s collaboration with DoorDash for a Varsity Jacket. McCain, a standout rookie for the 76ers last year, was on hand to model a sporty and sophisticated leather piece with charcoal leather and gold embroidery, designed by TUNL founding partner & Arte Haus creative director, Kendall Hurns.

Guests partied and gathered around PINKFLAMINGOUSA x PRIX Workshop Exclusive Car Displays; two motorsport cars decorated by Chris Phan and Esther NG. Attendees also lined up in droves for the The Lenny S Gold Standard Experience, a photo op on a gold couch. Further emphasizing the evening’s theme were artists from Woken Arts, painting canvas of Nickelodeon cartoon characters on stage while dancing and holding a pet snake.

TUNL’s gala ended NYFW on a high and hopeful note. The multimedia party built on its inaugural gala last year at Tribeca’s Spring Studios, which featured guests like Taraji P. Henson and DJ Mustard. With so many events, galas, panels, and runaways being dominated by the typical fashion houses, having a Black-founded organization that amalgamates athletics, artists, and creatives was a breath of fresh air.

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