From Classic Dinner Attire to Late-Night Disco Singalongs: Igee Okafor on His 30th Birthday Bash at The Bronze Owl
WORDS BY,
DOUGLAS HENRY-LEWIS
It's been exactly a week since Igee Okafor celebrated his 30th birthday at the newly opened The Bronze Owl in New York City, and the newly-minted 30-year-old is swiftly embracing all that comes with this new decade. “At first, I was a bit anxious about turning 30 and everything it was supposed to mean for me,” Igee confesses. “Initially, I wasn’t going to have a party, but I’m glad I did. Letting loose and sharing a dance with people you love is all the empowerment you need,” he smiles.
The evening began with an intimate dinner at The Press Club Grill, bringing close friends and family together. Guests enjoyed a three-course meal, perfectly complemented by sophisticated cocktails, champagne, and wine. The exquisite Macallan Double Cask, 12-Year-Old, made whisky sours and old-fashioned cocktails. “I’ve never been big on birthdays, but I was very excited because this was the first birthday I’d spent with my entire family in about 10 years,” Igee shares. “Everyone there had contributed significantly to the last decade of my life, and it was nice to say thank you in my way to them in one room. It was the best gift.”
Last week’s celebration was nothing short of spectacular. Igee made quite the entrance in a pair of formal looks, one by Todd Snyder, the designer known for his modern classic tailoring. “I remember the way I felt putting on a nicely fitted jacket and tie for the first time. It always made me feel like a superhero. It’s so empowering,” Igee shares. “I love wearing Todd Snyder because his modern cuts make every outfit feel relaxed and sexy. Perfect for dance parties.” At the last minute, Igee opted for a different look for dinner, donning a white dinner jacket, trousers by BMC Studio by Brandon Murphy, and Velvet Manolo Blahnik Opera pumps. “I’ve always enjoyed looking up photos of my influences during main events and after parties,” he says. “I like being entertained that way and was curious to see what it would feel like. I’d never done it before.”
After the dinner came the party at the newly opened The Bronze Owl, backed by New York nightlife legend David Rabin. Guests were prompted to attend the party in their best black and white formal attire. “We need more dress codes at parties to keep things interesting,” Igee explains. “I like to look back at photos and see everyone looking their best. Formality is so rare in modern society these days.”
A highlight for Igee was when all the guests paused to sing Happy Birthday in unison. “It sounded surreal, like a real-life choir. I’m unsure how else to describe that experience,” Igee says, “It felt like love, and I was a bit teary-eyed underneath my blacked-out shades.”
Rebecca Smeyne, the talented lifestyle photographer, was there to capture every moment of the invite-only bash. “Rebecca and I worked together on another event I did for a screening of Saltburn last year,” Igee recalls. “She can make scenes look as dynamic as they feel. Flash photography is my favorite, and she’s such a professional.”
The guest list saw Igee’s friends and family. Some of whom included Darya Zozulya, Ryan Clark, David Evan Ruff, Amy Juliette Lefevre, Shelcy and Christy Joseph, Nana Agyemang, Serena Goh, and Steve Gonzalez. They mingled with models Ninioma Anosike and Tsheca White, singer Sofia D’Angelo, nightlife curator Desta, fashion designer Brandon Murphy, and actors Jovel Roystan and Max Von Essen.
The dance floor turned into a disco-pop affair, culminating in an electric Backstreet Boys singalong at around 12:30 am. Then it was the after party. “We ended up at Silencio, New York, around 1 am,” Igee recalls. Showing no signs of slowing down, he adds, “I kept the tuxedo jacket and bow tie on until then. Of course, they had to come off at some point.”