It was a cloudy mid-September Tuesday in New York City, the type when Mother Nature can’t make up her mind whether she wants to rain or not. Still, there was enough color in the back room of Cafe Zaffri to stave off the gloom. There, Ashley Moubayed was hosting her first official New York Fashion Week event for her jewelry brand, Don’t Let Disco. Half a presentation of Moubayed’s spring 2026 collection, half a pop-up beading bar for guests to create their own token.
Seven or so models—a few were members of the 2021-launched brand's small team—wore layered beaded necklaces and tasseled stands from the new collection. Editors, buyers, and voices of the fashion commentariat (I recognized at least four Substack authors I follow) sat at white-tablecloth tables stringing vintage beads, rock crystals, and pearls onto cords. One woman brought her black cat, Pi, with a turquoise Don't Let Disco charm clipped to its collar. The entire event felt like a convention of cool girls just as much as it did a tactile exercise to satisfy your inner child.
