At Cipriani Wall Street, even the ceiling glowed red. Velvet drapes, candlelit tables and a stage screen reading “We Delete Blood Cancer” set the scene for the 20th annual DKMS Gala on Thursday, October 15, a black-tie evening for the organization that calls itself the most significant non-profit in the world fighting blood cancer and blood disorders.
A gala is usually judged by its guest list and its gowns. This one deserves a second look, because the clothes were only the doorway. Behind them were a mission, a patient’s story and two decades of support from the creative community. Here is our view of what the night said, from the carpet to the stage.
A Room Dressed in Red
DKMS has long worn red, and the ballroom followed its lead. The step-and-repeat carried the DKMS mark beside Coty, the leading beauty company that has long supported the organization. Overhead, brand logos were projected onto the walls, but nothing competed with the color story, which is hard to manage in a room with a coffered ceiling and a row of chandeliers.
What the Carpet Wore
In the photographs from the carpet, red led, with black and metallics close behind. A sculptural one-shoulder gown with a sharp, architectural neckline made the strongest graphic statement. Elsewhere, a cream fur cape sat over a silver lamé skirt and a gold clutch, while an asymmetric pale pink silk dress with one dramatic sleeve was paired with a white floral headband and a crystal choker. A bronze pleated gown with a high slit stood beside a classic black tuxedo, and a burgundy velvet dinner jacket with a black shawl collar brought color to the menswear side.
Dress: Elene New York, Headpiece: Vintage Fusion Jewelry
Dress: Elene New York, Headpiece: Vintage Fusion Jewelry
Black stayed the most varied choice: a satin halter gown, ruffles off the shoulder over pleated black, and a velvet-and-tulle dress on one of the youngest guests. A white column dress with a high slit and a beaded pearl-drop bag stood apart by subtraction. The takeaway is that the best looks treated the dress code as a starting point, not a rule.
The Story at the Center
According to the event announcement, this year’s gala was set to highlight the journey of Ezra, an 11-year-old from California who received a life-saving stem cell transplant, and his donor, Dallas Wilson, a Nashville-based country and pop songwriter-producer.
Ezra was diagnosed as an infant with Neurofibromatosis type 1. After persistent health challenges in the fall of 2024, a specialist consultation in December 2024 led to a diagnosis of Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia, a rare and aggressive form of leukemia. Wilson had registered as a potential donor more than 15 years earlier, while in college. Three weeks before his wedding, DKMS told him he was a match, and he committed to donating, even willing to postpone his honeymoon. Ezra received his transplant in May 2025.
A match, found through a registry. That is the model DKMS describes: register donors, and patients find a second chance.
Music, and Two Decades of Giving
The live concert came from Nile Rodgers & CHIC, announced as a multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Fame® and Songwriters Hall of Fame® inductee. The program also listed a performance by Joseph Gordon, a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet.
“I’m so honored to be part of this momentous anniversary for such an essential, lifesaving organization.”
Nile Rodgers, in the event announcement
The gala has a record of pairing causes with culture. Last year’s event honored supermodel Coco Rocha and featured the Alvin Ailey Dance Company. Past honorees include designer Vera Wang and Monte Lipman, founder and CEO of Republic Records, and past performers range from Ariana Grande and Rihanna to Jon Bon Jovi and Boy George.
Why It Matters
Dr. Peter Harf founded DKMS in Germany in 1991, in honor of his wife, who lost her battle with leukemia. The organization now registers donors in seven countries on five continents, counts more than 13.5 million registered donors, and says it has provided blood stem cell donations more than 136,000 times. Proceeds from the gala support registering stem cell donors, access to transplantation for patients in low- and middle-income countries, and research into blood cancer treatment.
“Twenty years ago, we came together in New York with a powerful belief: that every patient battling blood cancer deserves the chance to find a matching donor.”
Katharina Harf, Chairman of DKMS Global
The gala’s chairs were Dr. Peter Harf, Katharina Harf and Viktoria von Wulffen. For a fashion audience, the lesson is simple. Gowns fade from the feed within a week, while a registered donor can change a life. If an evening like this sends even a few readers to a donor registry, the red carpet has done its job. To learn more about DKMS, visit dkms.org.
