The views of New York from the Rainbow Room are nothing short of spectacular and serve as a good reminder of why we live and work here. At Wednesday evening’s CFDA New York Fashion Week kickoff cocktail, hosted by CFDA Board Chairman Thom Browne and Board Member Tory Burch, the fashion industry’s top fashion creatives gathered in the room atop Rockefeller Center provided even more reason. They included Jenna Lyons, Zac Posen, Henry Zankov, Wes Gordon, Maria Cornejo, Dennis Basso, Rebecca Hessel Cohen, Taylor Thompson, Jonathan Cohen, Adam and Ryan Goldston, Kate Barton, Colm Dillane, Richie Tanner and Fletcher Kasell, Jacques Agbobly, Bach Mai, Spencer Phipps, and more.

Much of the cocktail buzz was around the highly anticipated return of Calvin Klein Collection with creative director Veronica Leoni’s first collection. With less than two days before her New York debut, Leoni kept her cool and enjoyed this glimpse of the New York fashion community.

“I know this is probably the worst time to have a party, particularly for designers with fittings and alterations, castings and last-minute show prep,” CFDA CEO Steven Kolb said. “I know your time is very precious, so we appreciate you being here tonight. Even though it’s the worst time, I also think it’s the best time to have a party. We are 65 floors up atop Rockefeller Center, looking at the most beautiful city in the world. It’s a city full of ideas and creativity and possibility—and Tory and Thom represent the success that one can have.”

The scene also included  Allison Sarofim, David Lauren, Gigi Burris O’Hara, Nardos Iman, Alina Cho, Nicky Campbell (“I am so starstruck, George Clooney could have walked in,” Sarofim quipped), Priya Shukla, Nicole Fuller, Roopal Patel, Lauren Levison, Linda Fargo and Tony Brand, Casey Kohlberg, Alexandra O’ Neill, Renna Brown Taher, Raul Penaranda, Tracy Margolies, and Yao King.

“And with that,” Kolb added, “New York Fashion starts officially!”