THE STYLE WAS OFF THE CHARTS AT THE NYBG ORCHID DINNER, HONORING THIS YEAR’S GUEST DESIGNER LILY KWONG

The only thing that could upstage a crowd of 400 of New York’s best dressed? The visionary work of 40 floral designers from across the country, who each created stunning table centerpieces for Thursday evening’s annual Orchid Dinner at The Plaza. The New York Botanical Garden’s beloved event, which highlights both the work of innovative talent in the industry and officially rings in The Orchid Show, also happened to be the most successful iteration yet—raising $800,000 on the night.

This year’s installment, The Orchid Show: Natural Heritage (which opened on February 18 and runs through April 23) was conceptualized and brought to life by Lily Kwong. Addressing the well-heeled room, Kwong spoke of what an honor it is to be the first woman of color to design the show, which is now in its 20th year.

Known for her landscape work which is at the intersection of wellness, art, and connection, Kwong looked to her own ancestral pathways, bloodlines, heritage, and family ties to Shanghai for inspiration—and she told The Daily that she hopes visitors are also encouraged to dig into their own backgrounds and family narratives upon their visit. Making it a full-circle moment, Kwong also happens to be a former student of the New York Botanical Garden’s Continuing Education program, where she sought to continue to develop her voice as an artist upon enrollment five years ago.