Looking back + moving forward →
happy new year
🎉 Happy new year!
A note from your favorite party planner/vibe curator.
SO grateful to everyone who showed up and supported Icon this past year.
The year of the snake really shed any residual lockdown energy, and people came ALL the way outside. 2026, we move forward 🔥🐎
Icon started as a conceptual branding project I never planned to actually build (read all about its humble beginnings here). But with a little focus, incredible partners, and some highly validating tech (shoutout to chatGPT and Luma fr 🫶)… a lot can happen in a year.
I’ve worked in fashion my whole career. But the creative community isn’t always easy to find outside of your work fam, even in the busiest city on the east coast. Icon exists because after years of distancing + digital overload, people are craving connection - simple as that.
And community takes a village, so thank you for being a part of ours.
❤️ Khanna
See the rest in the gallery.
Moving forward →
Some observations of the current state of events and marketing in the larger context.
Last year we saw one of the fastest shifts in communications. AI lowered the barrier to entry. Competition is high. And digital fatigue is real.
As a result, brands are moving back to IRL to create a direct line to their audience. Live experiences provide a layer of hospitality that digital experiences just don’t offer.
At the same time, corporate events and educational content don’t have to be boring, and they shouldn’t rely on the same frameworks that were built for a different landscape. Priorities, tools, and expectations have shifted. What worked then won’t have the same effect today. Communications and marketing is constantly evolving and brands need to keep up to stay relevant.
The most effective campaigns and activations invite conversation, without feeling performative. People are tired of noise - they want to feel included. When audiences feel connected, engagement and conversion follow naturally.
That’s the kind of environment Icon New York creates.
📅 Here’s a quick overview of our upcoming calendar. We’re looking for partners in these categories:
Feb - NYFW: premium active + wellness brands
May - NYCxDESIGN: graphic + brand design, marketing
June - TECH WEEK by a16z: fashion tech + retail
💌 If that’s you, let’s talk
👉 partner with us
xx
Khanna