“The launch of The One Contemporary feels different than the launch of a collection. It’s more personal and tied to family and long-term vision,” said designer Alexander Wang. fashion Thursday night at the ribbon-cutting for the grand new Institute of Arts and Culture at 58 Bowery in Lower Manhattan. “Tonight feels less like a debut and more like the beginning of something that will continue to grow.”

Located across from the Manhattan Bridge at the gateway to Chinatown, The One Contemporary is housed in a historic Beaux-Arts building that was once Citizens Savings Bank. On opening night, long lines of guests lined the sides of local landmarks and crammed down Canal Street, waiting anxiously to get in.

Thanks to Mr. Wang and his mother and co-founder Ying Wang, 58 Bowery is proudly under Chinese-American ownership for the first time in more than a century. “My mother and I have long talked about wanting to create something lasting in Chinatown, something rooted in culture rather than commerce,” Wang said. “It wasn’t just about one exhibition, it was about defining purpose.”

Their vision for the newly restored space centers around art, music, performance and visual culture. And needless to say, preview night did not disappoint. Wearing matching black hoodies, sweatpants, and Alexander Wang baseball caps, the Korean American Youth Choir of New York wowed the crowd with a rendition of Nirvana. smells like teen spirit and Alphaville’s forever young; Two songs personally selected by Wang.

In between performances, guests grabbed lychee martinis and moved under bright red lights, past cherry blossom trees, and toward hors d’oeuvre tables laden with dumplings, banh camouflage, and mochi. Nearby, Wang warmly welcomed her friends Ice Spice and Ming Lee Simmons, who modeled specifically for the Spring 2024 campaign.