Guests arrived at the Arts District showroom and Gladys Tamez Millinery’s production factory to toast the launch of NECTAR, the FW23 collaboration between women’s clothing brand RABÔT and LA-based painter Avery Wheless. The evening consisted of a live drawing course led by Wheless herself, with models donning the collection’s silk head scarf and posing for the guests to draw. To augment the experience, food installation artist Georgia Nicholas constructed a charcuterie board on a shrine of citrus and branches, while florist Puni Petals ornamented the night with leaves.

Continuing RABÔT’s tradition of commissioning a female artist for their seasonal collection, the luxury womenswear line translated Wheless’ oil painting from canvas to cloth. The resulting pieces—a dress, long skirt, and a multipurpose scarf in a spectrum of red—are striking and form-fitting, celebrating the feminine figure. A sensual, warm illustration honoring women’s bodies is the collection’s central motif. With Wheless’ art woven into the three garments, NECTAR embraces the female body both in shape and design.