By 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, hundreds of people were crowded outside the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel, waiting to get inside one of Los Angeles’ most anticipated events of the year: Born X Raised‘s annual Sadie Hawkins Winter Formal.
Since 2014, the beloved L.A. streetwear brand has hosted a holiday season affair where attendees come fitted in their freshest formal looks — some of which they plan months in advance — along with a date (or a group of friends) who matches their fly. Born X Raised co-founders Chris “Spanto” Printup and Alex “2Tone” Erdmann held the first Sadie Hawkins dance at a small wood-paneled hall in Highland Park with simple balloons and streamers. It’s since evolved into a F.O.M.O-inducing, invite-only function where both supporters and A-list celebrities cross their fingers to slip inside before the venue reaches capacity.
“It’s like L.A.’s unofficial New Year’s Eve,” says Erdmann, who wore a champagne-colored suit to this year’s event. “This is the party that you drive around trying to find. Everyone comes here.”
What really goes down at Born X Raised’s epic ragers.
With a surprise performance from rapper YG and another from 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 following his business partner’s death — the party was Printup’s “baby” — but he decided to push forward because it’s become a festive tradition for so many Angelenos every November.
This year’s gathering marked the 10-year anniversary. To celebrate the milestone, Erdmann and organizers constructed a wedding chapel where guests could tie the knot under the tagline “Born X Raised Marriages Last Forever, This Is Legally Binding” (one couple got married). There was also a photo booth decorated with a nostalgic balloon arch and dozens of red roses, which guests filtered through as DJs including Kitty Cash and Giselle Peppers played sets in the background. The soundtrack for the evening was Kendrick Lamar’s latest album, “GNX,” West Coast classics and other party bangers.
Chris ‘Spanto’ Printup, Born X Raised founder and treasured champion of Los Angeles culture, died Wednesday morning after succumbing to injuries sustained in a Sunday car accident. He was 42.
We caught up with attendees at the high-energy party, which one person called “the Met Gala of L.A.,” to ask them about their outfit inspiration. These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Nyles Washington
Age: 28
Neighborhood: Mid-City
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 Goodwill. I knew that whatever I found I was going to look good in it. I got everything but the hat and the shoes from there.
I’m from Houston. My girlfriend got me these Harley-Davidson cowboy boots. My hat is from Texas and it says my name inside of it.
Why do you think this event is so special?
My good friend is helping out with everything. I’ve heard that it’s really insane, but once you get in, it’s super worth it.
Queenie Sateen and Anatole Heger
Age:
Sateen: [Declined to answer]
Neighborhood:
Sateen: Hollywood
Have you been to this party before?
Sateen: No, but my friend comes every year and said it’s fun.
Tell me about your outfit.
Sateen: I was just trying to match my boyfriend. It’s giving funeral. I wanted to be [rudest] at the funeral.
Lorenz Christopher
Age: 26
Neighborhood: Downtown L.A.
Have you been to this party before? I’ve been here like four times.
Tell us about your outfit. I just came back from Japan, so I had to cop Kapital out there. I have Ed Hardy on, a one-of-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? The people. The vibes. The brand itself. Shout out to Spanto and shout out to all of the homies who work for them as well.
Kacey Littleton
Age: 25
Neighborhood: Echo Park
Have you been to this party before? I had a couple of friends say I should come, so I came.
Tell us about your outfit. This was kind of loosely inspired by English horse riding. I got the chaps on and the riding boots. I was just feeling like royalty. The mask brings a little twist like I’m at some secret party. It’s like the movie “Eyes Wide Shut.” I already owned this. I like to keep it pretty crazy and have a bit of spice every day. It keeps me going.
Why do you think this event is so special? It just brings a great group of people together. I recognize a lot of people here and I ran into a lot of friends, so it was really cool seeing that crossover from my own life, but also this event.
Blair Quinones
Age: 27
Neighborhood: Altadena
Have you been to this party before? I’ve been once like three years ago. I wore Moschino last year.
Tell us about your outfit. I wanted to wear gold jewelry, so I planned to wear an all lace dress, but I found this gold one in my closest and thought it was a little more classy. My sister gave it to me years ago.
Why do you think this event is so special? I feel like the people who are from L.A. are embracing it more than ever because there is a lot to be prideful about. And then of course, the people who knew Spanto are celebrating him. I didn’t know him personally, but my friends did and so there’s just so much appreciation for him.
Zackariah Arceyut
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-owned L.A. brand called Vertical Authority. The studs on it remind me of my best friend’s [heritage]. He’s from Southeast Asia. So my outfit 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 multiple cultures together and everybody’s having a good time. There’s never any issues. And I love how they are 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.
Dime Jones
Age: 32
Neighborhood: Leimert Park
Have you been to this party before? I’ve been three times.
Tell us about your outfit. My outfit inspo was Fran Lebowitz. Strong woman making moves.
Why do you think this event is so special? I think it gives L.A. a form of culture. L.A. is so spread out, so you don’t get to see people, their style and how they’re dressing, so this is a great way to bring people together at the end of the year.
Copelan Cash and Kennady Schneider
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 my first one.
Tell us about your outfit.
Cash: I have on pinstripe 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 homies. It’s my community. It’s my culture.
Jermaine Mitchell
Age: 32
Neighborhood: Downtown L.A.
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 something festive to wear.
Why do you think this event is so special? I love the community. I love coming together as a group and looking fabulous.
Brisedia Leon
Age: 27
Neighborhood: Long Beach
Have you been to this party before? This is my first time. I learned about the Born X Raised brand a year ago from my friends.
Tell us about your outfit. I got my look from small L.A. businesses. I want to stand out. I got this necklace ... from a brand called Jiggly Junk.
Dame
Age: 47
Neighborhood: Los Angeles
Have you been to this party before? I’ve been before. I’m friends with the owners.
Tell us about your outfit. You’ve got to get dressed up, so I wore a suit.
Why do you think this event is so special? I just think people need to be cultured and come together.
Freddie Gibbs, Grammy-nominated rapper
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 everybody 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 all of this s— . He brought all these people together. He [was] a real star. I was at his memorial last year. We’re doing it for him every year.
Zolee Griggs, actor
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, dramatic sequins.
Why do you think this event is so special? I think what makes it special are all the L.A. natives who are still able to make it out, and I love that it’s the one time of the year for L.A. people to actually dress up.
Guapdad 4000, rapper
Have you been to this party before? I’ve been going since I moved to L.A. eight years ago.
Tell us about your outfit. I didn’t even want to go outside because something weird happened to me after this event last year, so my energy was [messed] up. I put this [stuff] together last minute because the universe is always going to find a way to remind me that I’m a great [person].
Why do you think this event is so special? I was introduced to it as something my musician, creative and fashion friends just went to. It was already established. The culture was already there, so I had to catch up.
