Travel Through Time: The Young Fellows Ball

New York’s social scene stepped elegantly “back in time” on Thursday, March 12, when the annual Young Fellows Ball transformed The Frick Collection into a dazzling celebration of art, fashion, and philanthropy.

Held inside the museum’s legendary Gilded Age mansion on the Upper East Side, the evening’s theme “Travel Through Time” invited guests to immerse themselves in centuries of art and style while supporting one of New York’s most treasured cultural institutions. The glamorous benefit, presented in partnership with Bloomingdale’s and Rimowa, drew a stylish crowd eager to experience the Frick’s historic galleries in an entirely new way.

Guests attending a talk in the West Gallery; photo: George Koelle

The night also celebrated the museum’s acclaimed exhibition, Gainsborough: The Fashion of Portraiture, which explores the deep connection between the celebrated eighteenth-century painter Thomas Gainsborough and the fashion of his era. Inspired by the show, guests arrived in elegant silk and lace ensembles that echoed the romance and refinement of the period.

Inside the museum, the atmosphere blended old-world elegance with modern nightlife. Music from DJ duo Angel + Dren kept the dance floor lively, while a string quartet from The Juilliard School filled the Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium with classical melodies throughout the evening.

Music by a Juilliard string quartet in The Frick Collection’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Auditorium; photo: Matteo Prandoni/BFA.com

Guests also enjoyed exclusive after-hours gallery access and interactive experiences designed around the evening’s time-travel theme. Rimowa showcased vintage luggage displays and offered hand-painted luggage tags in the VIP lounge. Meanwhile, Bloomingdale’s added playful touches with roaming Polaroid photographers and signature macarons decorated with the retailer’s iconic “b.”

One of the most photographed moments of the night came from a whimsical faux train cabin photo installation complete with a window overlooking a scenic detail from a Gainsborough landscape giving partygoers the feeling of traveling through art history itself.

The evening was chaired by Natalie Bloomingdale, Ivy Getty, Alexander Hankin, Casey Kohlberg, Laurence Ross Milstein, and Lilah Ramzi.

Proceeds from the Young Fellows Ball support the museum’s exhibitions, educational programming, and the renowned Frick Art Research Library, helping bring art education to students across New York City and audiences around the world.

For New York’s next generation of art patrons, the evening proved that history, fashion, and philanthropy remain a timeless combination.

Some of the most stylish guests:

Lizzie Asher and Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director Axel Rüger; Travel Through Time

Lizzie Asher and Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Director Axel Rüger; photo: Matteo Prandoni/BFA

Benefit Chairs Lilah Ramzi, Laurence Ross Milstein, and Natalie Bloomingdale; Travel Through Time

Lilah Ramzi, Laurence Milstein, Natalie Bloomingdale

Melody Cohen; photo: NYC Photo Party

Rowan Moody, Associate Director of Development Angie Calderwood, William Reid, Senior
Manager of Special Events Nicole Martin, and Associate Director of Marketing and Visitor Experience
Alexis Light; photo: Matteo Prandoni/BFA.com