Michael Rubin’s All White Party: Celebrities Who Attended the July 4th Event
Hampton’s most iconic annual 4th of July party just took place on Thursday, and instead of repping in red and blue, it is strictly an all-white party. The party, hosted by Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin and his wife Camille Fishel, initially took place in 2021, according to The New York Times, and has since become the ‘IT’ summer party. A-list celebrities ranging from athletes to actors to singers always show up in attendance and rock their best looks.
As per Michael’s Instagram post captioned “Grateful to be able to bring so many incredible people together,” these were some of the celebrities that showed up to the patriotic event:
Kim and Khloe Kardashian showed up to the party in white revealing outfits. The 43-year-old SKIMS founder chose a silky halter top with a deep u-shaped neckline and a matching skirt. Alongside her was the 40-year-old Good American founder who wore a cutout long dress. The Kardashian stars have been a household name when it comes to this party.
The 38-year-old actress Megan Fox went for a summer vibe in a mini white dress and topped off her look with a thick choker. She was accompanied by her 34-year-old partner, Machine Gun Kelly, who matched in a white t-shirt, suspenders, and pants. Their presence comes shortly after the Jennifer’s Body actress revealed on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast that the two had called off their engagement.
In an Instagram post shared by the host himself, Michael initiated the carousel posing alongside a group of men that included NFL players Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, CJ Stroud, rapper Quavo, and internet personality Druski. Most of the group were all blinged out with chains, sunglasses, and white fits.
Aside from these guests, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Wayne, Emily Ratajkowski, Jake Paul, Drake, Lala, Winnie Harlow, and many others showed up. Though the night did not just consist of these celebrities showing up, they witnessed a performance by Lil Wayne as per a video shared by @artistgeorgecondo on Instagram. The user noted, “Lil Wayne killing it last night at the white party thanks to Michael Rubin! We all had a blast.” In the video, guests like Camila Cabello were spotted dancing the night away.
Hotdogs, fireworks, American flags, and celebrities dressed in all-white at Michael Rubin’s annual White Party—Happy 4th of July from the Hamptons! Last night, in Bridgehampton, New York, Michael Rubin (the CEO of Fanatics) and his partner Camille Fishel hosted what has fast become one of the Hamptons’ most buzzy events: the annual White Party. Those on the guest list—a who’s who of sports, Hollywood, and social media stars—were instructed to arrive in shades of white, and nary an attendee deviated from the dress code.
Camila Cabello and Emily Ratajkowski opted for drapey mini dresses, while Teyana Taylor wore a white maxi with a gold metallic belt that encircled her waist like a snake. Winnie Harlow wore a beaded cowl-neck minidress with a hood, and Megan Fox went the preppy route in an eyelet mini. Other guests included Megan Thee Stallion, J. Balvin, A$AP Ferg, Travis Scott, Gayle King, Kim Kardashian, Khloe Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Tom Brady, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Leonardo DiCaprio, Drake, Quavo, and many more.
Attendees pulled up to the gleaming glass beachfront home from around 5 p.m. Paparazzi were stationed outside, snapping away as guests arrived, but once on the premises, some of the only cameras were those on guests’ iPhones. Harlow posted sweeping scenes of the party on her Instagram, offering a peek inside.
The party was staged on multiple patio decks at Rubin’s home and spread across tents set up in the beach dunes. For the food, Rubin went all out with catering from New York’s finest: Nobu (a handroll station served up wagyu beef and truffle salt rolls), Cucina Alba (offering summer tomato salads), Lucali (an unfussy menu with a choice between the classic margherita and pepperoni), and Raos (their famous meatballs). Like your typical 4th of July fete (though this was anything but), the seating was informal, and everyone grabbed a bite at their leisure instead of a seated dinner.
Because Rubin has a crew of friends from the world of music, once again, the party’s entertainment did not disappoint. First on stage was Shaboozey, whose hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” is in the running for song of the summer. “This is the most tipsy I’ve been ever in my life!” he joked to the crowd during his set. Next up came R&B legend Mary J. Blige (who performed her hit “Be Happy”) and then Lil Wayne, who was in awe of Blige, telling the crowd to make some noise for the singer who had just “blessed the stage.” Around the same time, the sun began to set, and a series of lights shooting up from the beach created a dazzling linear pattern in the sky.
Come 11 p.m., and the “nightclub portion” of the evening kicked off. After a fireworks display, a dance party broke out, and the many musicians in the crowd were given free rein to take the stage. Among this year’s impromptu performances were those by Alesso, Megan Thee Stallion, Machine Gun Kelly, Bryson Tiller, A$AP Ferg, and Travis Scott. With the many surprises that seemed to keep on coming, guests had little desire to call it a night. Even by the time the 5th of July rolled around, this Independence Day party was far from over.
For most mortals, sending party invitations simply involves sending a message to friends or, in the best of cases, a little card with the date, place, and an RSVP note. But of course, Michael Rubin is not most mortals. Nor are his parties. The parties of the 51-year-old American businessman, with a fortune of more than $11.5 billion, according to Forbes, are not of this world, nor are his invitations, his venues, or the list of stars who are invited. And if there is a U.S. holiday that inspires wild parties, it is Independence Day on the 4th of July. And at Rubin’s mansion, everything is already ready for the big event of the year, which will be attended by Kim Kardashian, Tom Brady, and Emily Ratajkowski.
As he has been doing for four years now, Rubin will throw a magnificent party at his home in East Hampton, about three hours from New York (or less than an hour by helicopter, as he likes to get around). Last year, his White Party was attended by the likes of Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Mbappé, and Kendall Jenner. This year, the invitations were sent out in mid-May: an original, personalized work by acclaimed artist George Condo, with each invitation estimated at more than $35,000. What’s more, last week Rubin sent each guest white Nike sneakers, numbered and customized, in a briefcase. One pair is estimated to cost $50,000. They came with a message: “Don’t puke on them! Not for resale — I know who you are.”
But at what point did a Philadelphia sports businessman from humble origins turn into the host of one of America’s biggest parties? Rubin’s name has been buzzing around showbiz for years. Mostly because of his money: although he is now a billionaire, he has been very rich for a quarter of a century. And his wealth is thanks to one of his passions: sport. Thirteen years ago he founded Fanatics, a company that licenses and sells online merchandising products of almost a thousand U.S. sports teams, both professional and college level: from NBA jerseys and field hockey caps to baseball player figurines and, now, European Championship and Paris Olympic Games gear. Since Fanatics manufacture more than half of what they sell themselves, they are very agile when it comes to giving the market what it wants, and they have achieved tremendous growth. Last December, The Wall Street Journal valued the company — which is privately held and has investment partners such as Jay-Z — at $31 billion in an article that Fanatics itself posted on its website.
Michael Rubin’s story is of a self-made man, a narrative that is very popular in the U.S. He comes from a middle-class Jewish family — his mother is a psychiatrist and his father is a veterinarian — and since he was a child he has been earning his own money. At the age of 12, he set up a small ski repair shop in the basement of his house and with his profits and the money from his bar mitzvah — about $10,000 — he opened a real shop at the age of 14, with his father signing the paperwork. He owed $200,000 when he was only 16 years old, but his family lent him money for a lawyer, he won the lawsuit and ended up becoming the owner of five ski shops with annual sales of $2.5 million, as reported in Philly Mag.
He has little formal education. For less than a semester he attended Villanova University, a Catholic university in Pennsylvania, because his worried parents thought that his business ventures would ruin his life. He was always in the parking lot, doing business on the phone and skipping class, and quickly saw that studying wasn’t his thing. He continued to lose a little, win a lot, and he created a sneaker company and a logistics company. Rubin saw that the internet was the platform of the future and helped many brands enter e-commerce, he triumphed with various companies, especially with Fanatics, and ended up becoming a billionaire.
Sports have always been the key to his businesses. Every year, Fanatics throws big parties, and two are especially important: the pre- and post-Super Bowl party. What’s more, between 2011 and 2022, he was a partner of the Philadelphia 76ers basketball team and the New Jersey Devils hockey teams. Thanks to this, he has often rubbed shoulders with the big names from the main U.S. leagues, from businesspeople to players, as well as celebrities such as the Kardashian sisters, actors, models… As a result, he has become a regular face in interviews, television shows, and parties. He goes to most of these events with his partner, model Camille Fishel, 33, with whom he has two young daughters, Rumi and Gema. He also has a daughter, Kylie, 18, with his previous partner Meegan Spector, a dance instructor from whom he separated in 2011. At the time, she said she was “tired” and “fed up with the pressure” and intensity of her husband’s work.
The fact that he is among the 175 richest people in the world — according to Forbes — has also enabled him to take on philanthropic projects. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Fanatics raised more than $60 million in a celebrity charity contest, with the proceeds going to organizations that fight hunger. Rubin is also one of the founders of Reform Alliance, an organization that supports people who are on parole and tries to address what it considers to be unjust sentencing laws. The businessman, Jay-Z, and other celebrities founded the organization after a mutual friend went to prison for violating the terms of his parole, a decision that was later overturned.
In a profile of him in The New York Times, Rubin’s partner Fishel said that “Michael works a lot,” but manages to spend time with his family when a deal closes. “Then again,” she said, “as soon as Michael finishes one deal, there is always the next one.”
The next big item on Rubin’s agenda is his exclusive 4th of July party, which, like last year, will feature exceptional guests and performances. Last year, Usher and Travis Scott played at the event. Then pizza was served freshly brought from Lucali, a famous Brooklyn venue, with guests offered a selection of the finest champagnes and cognacs, and Kevin Hart’s tequila, which the actor himself served in shot glasses. The night ended with a fireworks display from the same company that organizes the Macy’s department store parade. This year, his 350 white-clad guests will watch another spectacular fireworks show from his $50-million mansion.
Source: The New York Times, Philly Mag, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes
