Born X Raised Celebrated Co-Founder Spanto at the 9th Annual Sadie Hawkins Winter Formal

This year, Born x Raised’s annual Sadie Hawkins winter formal fell on the Tuesday just before the Thanksgiving holiday, but that didn’t stop what felt like the entirety of Los Angeles’s cool kid population from attending. With a few hundred people on the guest list, it was a party that packed out the Hollywood Palladium—no easy feat, but an unsurprising accomplishment for this particular event, which garners a buzz that never seems to die down year after year. 

The night was a love letter to the streetwear brand’s co-founder, Chris “Spanto” Printup, who passed unexpectedly in July; friends, family, and fans came out to celebrate his memory. Alongside co-founder Alex “2Tone” Erdmann, Spanto helped build Born X Raised, launched in 2013, into a Los Angeles staple that starts with the love of the city. The duo’s first annual Sadie Hawkins party came a year later (think prom for a 21 and up crowd, with a collective of musicians, models, and fashion figures in attendance, all dressed in theme with cool twists on suits and formal gowns), and somehow only grows with each year. “It’s like the New Year’s party you want but can’t find,” 2Tone told Vogue mid-party.

There were returning guests such as Miguel and Paloma Elsseser in attendance, as well as notable newcomers such as Wiz Khalifa. “With everything going on, I wanted to come and support,” Khalifa told Vogue. Whether it was on the massive dance floor, up in the VIP balcony lounges overlooking the crowd, or out in the massive hall where multiple bars could be found, there didn’t appear to be a moment of dullness in any corner. There was a surprise performance from YG honoring Spanto (after which followed a massive eruption of celebratory confetti), another from mariachi artist Julian Torres, and throughout the night, guests took turns having their formal photo snapped under a nostalgic balloon arch. Throwbacks and everything in between blared courtesy of a DJ perched in the middle of the grand room, and the party didn’t slow down until it absolutely had to.