Desmond Sam, Flo Ngala, and Ramses Rubio; For publicist and experiential producer Desmond Sam, these moments present prime opportunities to craft immersive dining experiences that spark dialogue around pivotal fashion moments, elevate brand visibility, and cultivate industry relationships that drive collaboration and innovation.
Andre Gray
Fashion has been a business of social construct, as much as it is a functional necessity for every day. The social side of fashion happens during culturally relevant events like the Met Gala, Oscars, Art Basel, and Coachella, to name a few. For publicist and experiential producer Desmond Sam, these moments are prime for delivering dining experiences that foster conversation around those significant moments, build brand awareness, and foster relationships in the fashion industry that breed collaboration and cross-pollination across the market.
Satchel Lee; Most recently, on May 4 ahead of this year’s Superfine: Tailoring Black Style Met Gala, Sam’s “Dine With Dez” dinner series hosted an intimate soirée at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn to celebrate the U.S. launch of UK-based beauty brand Nature Spell.
Andre Gray
Most recently on May 4, ahead of this year’s Met Gala titled Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn, an intimate evening launched beauty brand Nature Spell in the U.S. market. Desmond Sam and his Dine With Dez dinner series welcomed the UK-based hair care brand, marking its official entrance into the American beauty market.
“In today’s world, intimacy is needed for thought-provoking conversations,” said Sam in a published statement on his Dine With Dez brand. “The beauty of our dinner is collectively finding the answers to the questions we face. Here we can express ourselves freely and have a true meeting of the minds, paired with phenomenal cuisine and drinks.”
Armiel Chandler, Raisa Flowers, Desmond Sam; On May 4 ahead of this year’s Superfine: Tailoring Black Style Met Gala, Sam’s “Dine With Dez” dinner series hosted an intimate soirée at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn to celebrate the U.S. launch of UK-based beauty brand Nature Spell, marking its official debut in the American market while blending fashion, beauty, and curated conversation.
Andre Gray
The pre-Met Gala dinner event was co-hosted by trailblazing portrait and fashion photographer Flo Ngala, the first Black woman to be commissioned by Vogue to photograph the Met Gala. A nod to this year’s Superfine theme and the tradition of Dandyism as bold and expressive elements to the evening, this dinner was prompted for heritage, elegance, and Black cultural pride within the sartorial lens.
Dewayne Perkins; Fashion has long served as both a social construct and a functional necessity, with culturally significant events like the Met Gala, with most recently, on May 4 ahead of this year’s Superfine: Tailoring Black Style Met Gala, Sam’s Dine With Dez dinner series hosted an intimate soirée at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn to celebrate the U.S. launch of UK-based beauty brand Nature Spell.
Andre Gray
Dinner was prepared by renowned Chef Scotley Innis, working between New York City and Atlanta. A Caribbean-Asian-infused menu was preluded by specialty cocktails provided by Don Julio, a spirit brand inserting itself into fashionable moments. A visual installation presented by Black Girls in Archives honored the historical foundations of the 2025 Met Gala concept, fostering the legacy of Black creatives in fashion and art, including those hosting and attending the dinner series.
The Dine With Dez dinner series hosted an intimate soirée at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn to celebrate the U.S. launch of UK-based beauty brand Nature Spell.
Andre Gray
The curated guest list included a roster of industry trailblazers and rising stars, including models and performers Lion Babe, Uglyworldwide, makeup artist Raisa Flowers, creative director Satchel Lee, and influencers like Armiel Chandler, and comedian Sydnee Washington and screenwriter Dewayne Perkins, naming a few. The cultural marker of a dinner conjures conversations around the craft of these unique individuals and brings awareness to dinner partner Nature Spell’s U.S. expansion.
Finding ways to celebrate fashion moments, and support brands and industry veterans among the celebrity gravitas of these larger events, Dine With Dez is an outlet from the sartorial chaos. Making his debut with its inaugural “Black Excellence Dinner,” Sam has curated gatherings to celebrate fashion, culture, and culinary brilliance.
Lion babe [right]; Sam’s Dine With Dez dinner series hosted an intimate soirée at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn to celebrate the U.S. launch of UK-based beauty brand Nature Spell, marking its official debut in the American market while blending fashion, beauty, and curated conversation.
Andre Gray
Conceptualized by the Brooklyn, NY native, Sam has also partnered with Ramses Rubio, a fellow experiential creative, bringing together influential tastemakers, creatives, and thought leaders across industries. These names include influencers Nimay Ndolo, James Charles, Clermont Twins, Rickey Thompson, fashion designers Jerome Lamaar, Brendon Blackwood, and Coco & Breezy, as well as entertainers Erica Mena, Cleotrapa, and Jojo Siwa, to name a few.
Each fashion calendar highlight is susceptible to a Dine With Dez moment for a memorable fusion of conversation with fashion insiders, cuisine from world-class restaurants and chefs, and connections built through the affinity of expression. Sam and Rubio have since built an intentional space where food is a catalyst, creating dialogue and cultural discovery within creative fields and fashion agendas.
Dewayne Perkins, Sydnee Washington; Dine With Dez dinner series hosted an intimate soirée at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn to celebrate the U.S. launch of UK-based beauty brand Nature Spell, marking its official debut in the American market while blending fashion, beauty, and curated conversation.
Andre Gray
“Creating a community through the act of breaking bread can forge the strongest bonds between strangers,” said dinner co-host and partner, Rubio. “These events are about more than networking. They’re about curating a space where creative ideas flourish.”
The Dine With Dez” dinner series hosted an intimate soirée at Aliya’s cocktail den in Brooklyn to celebrate the U.S. launch of UK-based beauty brand Nature Spell, marking its official debut in the American market while blending fashion, beauty, and curated conversation.
Andre Gray
From its first dinner event at Art Basel in December 2023, Dine With Dez has established itself as a novel cultural touchpoint in fashion and adjacent creative space. Conversations are unfiltered but constructive, community-driven, and centered around cuisine that adds to the ambiance, shaping an inclusive future in fashion.