Born X Raised Celebrates 10 Years of Their Sadie Hawkins Winter Ball

At 9:30 pm on Tuesday, hundreds of people were crowding outside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, waiting to get into one of the most anticipated events of the year in Los Angeles: Born X Raised's Sadie Hawkins' annual winter ball.

Since 2014, the beloved Los Angeles streetwear brand has hosted a holiday event where attendees come dressed in their freshest formal looks, some of which they plan months in advance, along with a date (or a group of friends) that matches your fly. Born It's since become a FOMO-inducing, invite-only function, where fans and A-list celebrities alike are crossing their fingers to get in before the venue reaches capacity.

“It's like the unofficial New Year's Eve of Los Angeles,” says Erdmann, who wore a champagne-colored suit for this year's event. “This is the party you drive around trying to find. “Everyone comes here.”

Featuring a surprise performance by rapper YG and another by a mariachi artist, last year's event was dedicated to Printup, who died in a car accident in June 2023. Erdmann says he considered canceling the event after the death of his partner commercial: the party was from Printup. baby,” but decided to move forward because it has become a holiday tradition for many Angelenos every November.

This year's meeting marked the 10th anniversary. To celebrate the milestone, Erdmann and organizers built a wedding chapel where guests could get married under the motto “Born and bred marriages last forever, this is legally binding.” There was also a photo booth decorated with a nostalgic balloon arch and dozens of red roses, which guests filtered through while DJs, including Kitty Cash and Giselle Peppers, played in the background. The soundtrack of the night was Kendrick Lamar's latest album, “GNX,” West Coast classics and other party hits.

We caught up with attendees of the high-energy party, which one person called “the Met Gala of Los Angeles,” to ask them about their outfit inspiration. These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

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(Michael Blackshire / Los Angeles Times)

Age: 28

Neighborhood: City Center

Have you been to this party before?
This is my first time, but I'm familiar with Born X Raised.

Tell us about your outfit. I went to Good Will. I knew that whatever I found would fit me. From there I got everything except the hat and shoes.

I'm from Houston. My girlfriend bought me these Harley-Davidson cowboy boots. My hat is from Texas and it says my name inside.

Why do you think this event is so special?
My good friend is helping with everything. I've heard it's really crazy, but once you get in, it's worth it.

Queenie Sateen and Anatole Heger

Age:
Satin: [Declined to answer]

Neighborhood:
Satin: Hollywood

Have you been to this party before?
Sateen: No, but my friend comes every year and says it's fun.

Tell me about your outfit.
Sateen: I was just trying to match my boyfriend. He's giving a funeral. I wanted to be [rudest] at the funeral.

Lorenz Cristobal

A man with a mustache wearing purple patterned scarves.

Age: 26

Neighborhood: Downtown Los Angeles

Have you been to this party before? I've been here like four times.

Tell us about your outfit. I just got back from Japan, so I had to take care of Kapital. I have Ed Hardy on, one on one with a rhinestone embellishment on the back, and I have a gold chain with Jesus on it. Shout out to God.

Why do you think this event is so special? Town. The vibrations. The brand itself. Shout out to Spanto and shout out to all the friends who work for them too.

Kacey Littleton

A person wearing a mask dressed in red and white, including white gloves.

Age: 25

Neighborhood: eco park

Have you been to this party before? A couple of friends told me I should come, so I came.

Tell us about your outfit. This was loosely inspired by English horsemanship. I put on my riding pants and boots. I felt like I was royalty. The mask gives it a little twist, like he's at a secret party. It's like the movie “Eyes Wide Shut.” I already owned this. I like to keep it pretty crazy and have a little spice every day. It keeps me going.

Why do you think this event is so special? It just brings together a big group of people. I recognize a lot of people here and met a lot of friends, so it was great to see that intersection of my own life, but also this event.

Blair Quinones

Age: 27

Neighborhood: Altadena

Have you been to this party before? I was there once about three years ago. I wore Moschino last year.

Tell us about your outfit. I wanted to wear gold jewelry so I planned on wearing an all lace dress, but I found this gold one in my closest and thought it was a little dressier. My sister gave it to me years ago.

Why do you think this event is so special? I feel like people in Los Angeles are embracing it more than ever because there is so much to be proud of. And then, of course, the people who knew Spanto celebrate him. I didn't know him personally, but my friends did and that's why I have a lot of appreciation for him.

Zackariah Arceyut

A man with a mustache, coat, tie and baggy pants.

Age: 25

Neighborhood: Boyle Heights

Have you been to this party before? I've been at least five times.

Tell us about your outfit. It's basically a mariachi-inspired outfit. My jacket is from a Mexican brand from Los Angeles called Vertical Authority. The studs remind me of my best friend's. [heritage]. He is from Southeast Asia. So my clothing is like intertwining my culture (I'm half Mexican, half Nicaraguan) with my best friend's culture.

Why do you think this event is so special? I love that it brings together multiple cultures and that everyone has a good time. There is never any problem. And I love how they're honoring Spanto. I think it's beautiful that we can continue this in his name. It's one of the ways we can continue to honor Him and have so much love under one roof.

Tell me Jones

Age: 32

Neighborhood: Leimert Park

Have you been to this party before? I've been three times.

Tell us about your outfit. My inspiration for the outfit was Fran Lebowitz. Strong woman doing movements.

Why do you think this event is so special? I think it gives Los Angeles a form of culture. Los Angeles is spread out so you don't get to see the people, their style and how they dress, so this is a great way to bring people together at the end of the year.

Copelan Cash and Kennady Schneider

A man in a hat and sunglasses with a woman in burgundy sleeves.

Age:
Cash: 30
Schneider: 27

Neighborhood:
Cash: Fillipinotown
Schneider: Crenshaw

Have you been to this party before?
Cash: I've been here six times.
Schneider: This is the first.

Tell us about your outfit.
Cash: I have it striped with the white loafers.
Schneider: I wanted to wear something elegant and timeless.

Why do you think this event is so special?
Cash: Born X Raised is family. Spanto and all the friends. It's my community. It's my culture.

Jermaine Mitchell

Age: 32

Neighborhood: Downtown Los Angeles

Have you been to this party before? This is my third year in a row.

Tell us about your outfit. I'm wearing Theo Official. They dress me a lot. I wanted to wear something festive.

Why do you think this event is so special? I love the community. I love getting together as a group and looking fabulous.

Brisedia Leon

A woman with lots of jewelry closes her eyes and smiles.

Age: 27

Neighborhood: Long Beach

Have you been to this party before? This is my first time. I found out about the Born X Raised brand a year ago thanks to my friends.

Tell us about your outfit. I got my look from small businesses in Los Angeles. I want to stand out. I bought this necklace… from a brand called Jiggly Junk.

Lady

Age: 47

Neighborhood: Los Angeles

Have you been to this party before? I have been before. I am a friend of the owners.

Tell us about your outfit. You have to dress up, so I put on a suit.

Why do you think this event is so special? I just think people need to be educated and unite.

Freddie Gibbs, Grammy-nominated rapper

A man with large white-rimmed glasses, a bright pink coat, a white shirt, and a black tie.

Have you been to this party before? I've been at least 5 or 6 times. Spanto was one of my best friends.

Tell us about your outfit. I knew that everyone was going to dress in dark colors, so I wanted to stand out.

Why do you think this event is so special? Because of Spanto. He was the nuts and bolts of it all. He brought all these people together. He [was] a true star. I was at his funeral last year. We do it for him every year.

Zolee Griggs, actress

A woman wearing a long red and white sequin dress and a red bag

Have you been to this party before? I've been four or five times.

Tell us about your outfit. I wanted to go old school Hollywood, with dramatic sequins.

Why do you think this event is so special? I think what makes it special is all the Los Angeles natives who can still tell it apart, and I love that it's the only time of year that people in Los Angeles dress up in costumes.

Guapdad 4000, rapper

A man wearing dark sunglasses and a red furry garment.

Have you been to this party before? I've been going since I moved to Los Angeles eight years ago.

Tell us about your outfit. I didn't even want to go out because something strange happened to me after this event last year, so my energy was [messed] above. I put this [stuff] together at the last minute because the universe will always find a way to remind me that I am a great [person].

Why do you think this event is so special? It was introduced to me as something my musician, creative, and fashion friends had just attended. It was already established. The culture was already there, so I had to catch up.