Stars flocked to Brooklyn’s waterfront on Thursday evening to attend the second annual Soho House Awards. Following the event’s debut in London last year, the ceremony traveled across the pond, landing at the club’s Dumbo location.
Emma Watson, Ayo Edebiri and Emma Corrin were among the evening’s esteemed honorees. Watson and her brother Alex were given the breakthrough entrepreneur award for their grape-based gin brand, Renais. Meanwhile, Corrin and Edebiri were recognized for their work on stage and screen, receiving the awards for theatre performance and breakthrough actress, respectively.
Some celebrities took on presenting duties at the ceremony, with Daniel Kaluuya presenting the 59% Gen Now award to his contemporary (and fellow Brit), Nabhaan Rizwan. In partnership with Kaluuya’s 59% Productions banner, the award celebrates up and coming actors, writers, producers and directors.
Daniel Kaluuya at the Soho House Awards held at Dumbo House on Sept. 7 in New York.
Gilbert Flores for WWD
“I think he’s going to make his own path, and that’s always really exciting,” Kaluuya said of Rizwan, who rose to fame after starring in Sam Mendes’ war epic “1917.” “He’s just a really interesting presence on screen.”
The Soho House Awards also paid homage to the fashion set, with Oscar Isaac handing Thom Browne the fashion designer award. Notably, Browne dressed the actor for the premiere of his Disney+ limited series, “Moon Knight,” and for the 2022 Met Gala.
Isaac and Browne weren’t the only designer-muse duo in attendance. On the black carpet, Head of State’s Taofeek Abijako buddied up with “Gossip Girl” actor Evan Mock. During the ceremony, Mock presented Abijako with the Breakthrough Designer Award.
After meeting through a mutual friend, Abijako designed Mock’s Rococo-inspired look at the 2022 Met Gala. His pale yellow suit, which featured corsetry and a pearl muslin collar, came together within a week. “[Evan and I] hit it off right away,” said Abijako. “It felt like we had been friends forever even though we just met.”
Evan Mock at the Soho House Awards held at Dumbo House on Sept. 7 in New York.
Gilbert Flores for WWD
Mock, who sported a full Head of State ensemble at the Soho House Awards, praised Abijako’s “abnormal” eye for design. “Let’s just say, I don’t have a pair of pants that look like this,” Mock said. “The difference between Taofeek and any other Joe Schmo is that he’s talented, he hustles and he has the mindset to actually make things happen.”
Brother Vellies designer and Fifteen Percent Pledge founder Aurora James received the breakthrough changemaker award, which was presented to her by makeup mogul Danessa Myricks. In 2020, James created the Fifteen Percent Pledge with the goal of platforming Black-owned businesses in major retailers like Target, Macy’s and Ulta.
Myricks was included in the Fifteen Percent Pledge’s first accelerator program at Sephora. Today, her beauty products are available in numerous stores across the country.
“It’s more important than ever when we think about programs like this, especially after the Supreme Court and what they just did with Affirmative Action,” said James, referring to the court’s recent gutting of the program intended to address racial disparities in higher education.
While James acknowledges that progress has been made in terms of her nonprofit, the designer said her work is all but finished.
“We need to keep in mind that all of this is hard-fought and if we don’t keep defending it, it’s all going to be at risk,” she said.