Was Rihanna's Diamond Ball the Best Party of New York Fashion Week?

Rihanna, the multi-hyphenate high priestess of music, fashion, and philanthropy, knows how to throw a killer party. On September 12, the Clara Lionel Foundation (CLF), founded by the eight-time Grammy award-winning singer, held its fifth annual Diamond Ball at Cipriani Wall Street.

Hosted by Seth Meyers, the event featured performances by Pharrell Williams and DJ Khaled, who was joined on stage by surprise guests including 2 Chainz, A$AP Ferg, Fat Joe, and more. Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and writer and civil rights activist Shaun King received the 2019 Diamond Ball Award in recognition of their humanitarian and social justice work. Guests included Cardi B, Karlie Kloss, and Carmelo Anthony.

The black-tie benefit raised over $5 million to support CLF’s global education and emergency response programs around the world. Since its founding, CLF has funded more than 59 global projects and committed over $13 million in grants across the education and emergency response sectors. Rihanna also has other personal accomplishments to celebrate: she recently became the first woman to create an original brand at LVMH—the world's largest luxury group— and the first woman of color leading an LVMH house. Her Fenty line will be the first new house at LVMH since Christian Lacroix in 1987.

Click through to see photos from the Diamond Ball.