The Tamesis
Last week, as the last rays of the spring equinox descended over Los Angeles, Cult Gaia founder Jasmin Larian opened the doors to her historic Beverly Hills home (an estate that once belonged to Elvis Presley) in honor of Nowruz, the Persian New Year.
The holiday is both an ancient ritual and an excuse to celebrate—a time to reset, gather your favorite people, and eat well. For Larian, this has become one of the most anticipated nights on her social calendar. “This is our third or fourth year hosting,” she told Fashionmove between friends, family, and new faces. “I’m excited to share my culture with everyone.”
Guests including Shanina Shaik, Sara Sampaio, Sarah Shahi, Aurora James, Mimi Cutrell, Ryan Destiny, Chelsea Neman Nassib and Noor Pahlavi, the eldest daughter of the exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and granddaughter of the last Shah of Iran, appeared in Cult Gaia spring ready-to-wear. They were greeted by a sitar player playing Persian classical music, the notes floating over the koi pond surrounding the Japanese teahouse at the heart of the hotel.
This year, there were some new additions to Larian’s tradition: all-yellow floral prints, goldfish floating under glass-top tables, and a soundtrack sung by Shirzan (the lioness) from Cult Gaia’s New York Fashion Week debut last month, setting the tone for the feast to come.
The menu starts with caviar, served in a custom tin emblazoned with “Gaia Caviar,” alongside sumac-coated crisps and saffron crème fraîche, before moving on to Shiraz-flavored panzanella with pomegranate seeds, walnuts and crispy Barbary bread slices in place of the Italian original. The main dishes are pure Persian: a traditional sabzi platter, two different tahdigs, and lamb, chicken and beef. “I tweaked it a little bit,” Larian explained, looking at the table. “I still have a caviar special, but with new artwork and goldfish swimming in the glass table—but I’m doing it less. I’ve toned it down a bit.” (The vibrant room tells a completely different story.)
As the sun sets, footage begins to circulate. The soundtrack also took a decisive turn: Erfan Tahmasbi’s Gelooband gave way to Sandy’s Dokhtare Ahvazi. Chairs are pushed back, hair is let down, and dinner turns into a dance party when jewel-like, aram-soaked barberry tarts appear. “We just feel more hopeful and happy,” Larian said amid din and laughter.
