L.A.’s most creative celebrated art, fashion and each other at Archival Revival

October 2, 2025

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Deep in the Arts District on a Thursday night, the reflections of a massive disco ball glinted across the faces of the city’s most creative — writers, painters, fashion designers — as they gathered to celebrate the people who make L.A. vibrant. The occasion was none other than Archival Revival, a party thrown in celebration of Image Magazine’s September issue, Image Makers, and Issue 14 of Ursula, Hauser & Wirth’s magazine.

Archival Revival’s dress code was to “channel another era — past or future,” and guests took the theme by storm. Some reached into the past, slinky in ’90s Roberto Cavalli satin or structured in ’80s shoulder-padded blazers. Others imagined a surreal future with bedazzled face masks and abstract makeup. Held in Hauser & Wirth’s courtyard, the party in the converted industrial space dripped in vines and warmth as reunions between friends unfolded on the dance floor and in front of a custom photo booth designed by Zoe-Zoe. With the help of sponsors Nike and Open Beer, drinks were flowing and the night was filled with surprises.

The galleries emitted their own light, as guests explored the Henry Taylor and James Jarvaise’s joint exhibition, “Sometimes a straight line has to be crooked,” an emotional tribute to artistic mentorship, and Luchita Hurtado’s “Yo Soy,” a hypnotic look at the late artist’s paintings and drawings.

On the tables, copies of Ursula and the Image Makers issues were laid out in waves, slowly disappearing as the night continued. Gracing one of the Image covers was Seulgi Oh’s story on iconic L.A. photographer Estevan Oriol, photographed by Oriol’s father Eriberto Oriol. In one corner of the party, as L.A. Times reporter and DJ Kailyn Brown, a.k.a. Kailyn Hype, mixed Rihanna and Afrobeats, Eriberto was repeating history — photographing his son surrounded by friends, including Oh.

“I love to see L.A. celebrated like this — all of these inspiring people together and embodying art, that is what L.A. is all about,” Oh said in passing as she looked around the party.

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Among the crowd was actor Raquel Rojas, artist Georgina Treviño, Palace Costume owner and featured Image Maker Melody Barnett, journalist Suzy Exposito and artist Perry Picasshoe.

Guests’ makeup ranged from vintage to extraterrestrial. Makeup artist Selena Ruiz was behind some of the more extravagant looks, from “Back in the Closet” host Isaías Cabrera a.k.a. Blond Chyna’s puppetlike white face to stylist Ronben’s blue cyber eyeliner mask.

Model Jenn Torres glided by the photo booth, extravagant in a lace corset and dark puffed shawl. Decked out in a full designer look that included Comme des Garçons, Cavalli, Gaultier and Versace, Torres’ outfit was Latin romantic imbued with runway drama.

“This was my first Image event, so I really wanted to show out and stunt,” Torres says. “I’ve never really dressed in archival high fashion. I grew up in South-Central, first gen, so it was really hard to get these sorts of pieces. Ronben styled me, and we had a beautiful conversation about fashion, about the past, about how us Latinos should take up space in the fashion world. That was my inspiration.”

At the stroke of 10 p.m., Alima Lee’s energetic set came to a close as a crowd formed near a long strip of the dance floor. Guests looked around in curiosity as stylist and author Jasmine Benjamin and Pechuga Vintage founder Johnny Valencia took the stage and announced a surprise fashion show. With their spirited commentary and the cheers of the crowd, the runway came alive.

Stylist Bruce Ly was memorable in his playful, stumbling runway walk, his arms swinging in the oversized sleeves of his doodled Brett Westfall coat. Model and stylist Lex Orozco-Cabral’s full chain-mail headpiece and top caused chatter and gleeful surprise as he pushed the limits of archival. To close out the show with melodrama, Pechuga Vintage studio director Priscilla Yael prowled in a sensual black Vivienne Westwood demi-couture dress, Vivienne Westwood shoes and a Kiki de Montparnasse mask, with her hands tied and her eyes blindfolded in black lace.

At a loss for words, the crowd could only yell out, “Hot!”

Darian Dandridge, an Image contributor and Long Beach native, says the style on the runway and during the night as a whole embodied “history, memory and the desire to dig deeper.”

“Image is the weird, the prestige, the high and the low of this city. L.A. is not singular, it’s multifaceted, and tonight gives its flowers to that multidimensional L.A.,” Dandridge says.

As the night closed, conversation abounded and ideas flitted in overheard snatches. Hood Rave-founder BAE BAE was the last DJ of the night and went down explosively with electronic beats with a Latin touch. Over the music, friends old and new vowed to meet again before the next party.