No expensive tickets or VIP status were needed to attend the sixth annual People’s Ball at Brooklyn’s iconic Central Library at Grand Army Plaza on May 4.
Hailed as the antithesis of the Met Gala — the year’s most exclusive fashion event for the rich, the famous, and those who think they are — the People’s Ball is intentionally held on the eve of the Met Gala. It celebrates the idea that fashion and creativity are accessible to all, and it has become a tradition among Brooklyn’s stylish crowd.
This year’s motto, “Style is a Revolution,” set the tone for a celebration of fashion, individuality and inclusivity that drew about 1,200 people to the Central Library’s iconic lobby, where 300 fashionistas strutted down the runway to the sounds of DJ FRiTZo.
Actors Delissa Reynolds and Ariel Polanco hosted the evening, while co-curator Souleo interviewed the night’s honorees: Academy Award-winning costume designers Ruth E. Carter and Paul Tazewell.
Carter, who won costume design Oscars for “Black Panther” and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” said she could feel the creativity in the room.
“That’s where it’s at. That’s what you’re feeling when you come here tonight,” Carter said. “When I look out into this crowd, I realize that people have really dug into their creativity and showed up.”
Williamsburg resident Alan Alfred Liddell attended the People’s Ball for the first time and planned to walk the catwalk — hardly his first brush with the spotlight. In January, he showed off his dance moves on “Live with Kelly and Mark.”
Liddell said he loved the idea of a ball and gala for regular people, noting that the Met Gala is only for “certain” people. He told Brooklyn Paper he expected to see great fashion, artistry and creativity from the crowd.
“They’re gonna bring it, they’re gonna bring the A game. They’re gonna bring the level up. Don’t let the real regular straggler fool you,” Liddell said.
Thirteen-year-old model Harper Simone Johnson attended the event with her mother, Anita, after a friend told the Connecticut residents about the People’s Ball in Brooklyn.
Harper’s outfit — a tailored purple suit by Tashii Couture, accessorized with Bengala Holmes neckties and a flower-adorned train — was a nod to this year’s Met Gala theme, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” an homage to Black dandyism.
The mother-daughter duo told Brooklyn Paper the People’s Ball was a great way for people to express their creativity.
“I think it’s just a beautiful way for everybody to express themselves, through their clothing, through their fashion, their hair, their makeup, everything,” Harper said. “I think it’s just an amazing opportunity to really show who you are.”
Harper’s mom, Anita, was sure their first People’s Ball would be one of many.
“I think it’s so amazing to get people’s take on fashion, [and] the things that make them feel good about themselves, and to be able to offer this experience in this capacity is just awesome,” she said. “I’m just so excited to be here.”
The 2025 Met Gala is set for Monday night and will celebrate the Costume Institute’s new exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style.”
