Staud and Emanuel Host Star-Studded Frieze Los Angeles Kickoff, Aim to Define LA Fashion

Los Angeles, CA – February 27, 2026 – A glittering cocktail party hosted by fashion designer Sarah Staudinger and entertainment executive Ari Emanuel signaled the start of Frieze Los Angeles on Wednesday night. Held in the penthouse of the iconic Chateau Marmont, the event drew a crowd of luminaries from the art, fashion, and entertainment worlds, marking a deliberate effort to solidify Los Angeles’s position as a global fashion capital.

The Rise of Los Angeles as a Cultural Hub

Staudinger, a native of Los Angeles, believes the city’s cultural landscape has matured significantly. She observed that while Los Angeles has become a globally recognized cultural center, the fashion element has lacked a definitive voice. This event was, in her view, a statement of intent to claim that space. Emanuel, founder of Mari – the company behind Frieze Los Angeles – partnered with Staudinger to host the event, welcoming a diverse guest list.

Attendees and Atmosphere

Attendees included Orlando Bloom, Nick Kroll, Rachel Sennott, and Dree Hemingway, alongside art world figures like Jeffrey Deitch and Casey Fremont, as well as Scout Willis, Winnie Harlow, Devendra Banhart, Lily Kwong, Cailin Russo, and Lauren Sanchez [WWD]. The penthouse at Chateau Marmont was filled with guests and “flashbulb energy” as attendees mingled [WWD]. Servers balanced trays of Champagne, and works by Ethiopian artist Merikokeb Berhanu hung along the walls.

Staud’s Artistic Collaboration: A New Tommy Bag Design

A central highlight of the evening was the debut of a special edition of Staud’s popular Tommy Bag. This unique design was created in collaboration with Merikokeb Berhanu, an Ethiopian-born painter whose work is featured at this year’s Frieze Los Angeles [News USA Today]. The handbag was reimagined, incorporating elements from Berhanu’s 2025 painting, Untitled CII. Only ten of each of the four unique designs will be available, priced at $1,300, exclusively at the Staud Melrose Avenue flagship store [News USA Today] and [Vogue]. This marks Staud’s first collaboration with an artist on the popular bag [Vogue].

A Starry Night for Frieze Los Angeles

The event, hosted by Staudinger and her husband, Ari Emanuel, aimed to celebrate the seventh edition of Frieze Los Angeles [Vogue] and establish a stronger fashion presence during the art week. The party blended the worlds of film, fashion, and art, creating a vibrant atmosphere on the eve of the fair [WWD].