DIFFA’s Angels & Demons Gala Raises $400,000 and Honors Fern Mallis
At the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the design and fashion communities gathered for a theatrical evening of philanthropy that celebrated the New York Fashion Week founder and supported HIV/AIDS care
On Thursday, March 19, the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in Harlem set the stage for DIFFA’s Angels & Demons gala, where the design and fashion communities gathered beneath soaring Gothic vaults for an evening of pageantry and philanthropy. The sold-out event welcomed a lively group of 300 guests and raised over $400,000 to support the organization’s continued efforts to combat HIV/AIDS. Christian Siriano, Reem Acra, David Rockwell, and Jamie Drake served as hosts for the occasion, which embraced a spirit of “divine mischief” while honoring fashion visionary Fern Mallis with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
The program centered on Mallis, the founder of New York Fashion Week and former executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, whose longstanding advocacy has remained closely tied to DIFFA’s mission. As a founding board member, she helped steer the organization during its earliest years, when the AIDS crisis demanded swift action from New York’s creative community. Her continued involvement has supported DIFFA’s expansion into programs addressing housing insecurity, food access, and mental health services.
Fashion designer Kenneth Cole and esteemed architect Scott Bromley then introduced Mallis with remarks that traced her decades of leadership, from grassroots fundraising efforts on Fire Island to her influence within major industry institutions and her widely attended “Fashion Icons” conversations at 92NY.
Mallis took the stage to reflect on DIFFA’s origins and the urgency that defined its founding moment. “Standing here tonight, I reflect on our journey together, starting as an original board member of DIFFA in 1984, the very beginning of the AIDS crisis,” she said. “I vividly remember how our community was desperate for answers, care, and hope. It became clear that we had to do something.” She then recounted the story behind the organization’s first grant, which supported Ganga Stone’s efforts to provide meals from a church basement, a program that later grew into God’s Love We Deliver. “I honor all those who helped pave the way and the countless lives of those who loved and lost. Let us continue to lead with love, empathy, determination, and creativity, until every person affected by HIV/AIDS receives the care and dignity they deserve.”
Founded in 1984, DIFFA arose from a coalition of designers who mobilized in response to a public health crisis that had begun to devastate their community. The organization quickly established a model that connected creative industries with philanthropy, directing funds toward care and support for those affected by HIV/AIDS. Over time, it has grown into a national nonprofit with chapters in cities such as New York, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco, distributing more than $60 million to organizations that provide healthcare access, prevention, and other essential services.
Following Mallis’s remarks, Siriano presented five gowns inspired by Grohe fixtures and the theme “transformative power of water” in a runway show that unfolded throughout the cathedral. Guests then enjoyed a candlelit dinner framed by installations from students at Pratt Institute, the New York School of Interior Design, and the School of Visual Arts. The interventions introduced theatrical vignettes throughout the church, including NYSID’s “The In-Between” and an SVA installation that drew from Angels in America.
“With federal funding for essential programs at risk, the evening’s fundraising provides a critical lifeline for organizations advancing care and health equity across the country,” DIFFA executive director Dawn Roberson said in a statement. “Since its inception, DIFFA has awarded more than $60 million to frontline nonprofits, and the evening was a powerful reminder of this industry’s ability to drive meaningful change.”
The guest list likewise reflected DIFFA’s wide reach across creative fields. Attendees included DIFFA board chairman Tom Polucci of HOK, Fashion Group International president and CEO Maryanne Grisz, former CFDA president Stan Herman, interior designer Vanessa Deleon, and Lloyd Marks and Michael Tavano of Marks & Tavano Workroom, among others. Support for the gala came from a broad network of industry partners, including Galerie as a media sponsor, Benjamin Moore and Mohawk as national sponsors, and a roster of leading firms across architecture, furnishings, and materials.
Scroll below to see more highlights from the evening.
