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.
And 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.
Michael Rubin is the host of one of the most exclusive parties of the year. The Fanatics CEO, 50, throws an annual Fourth of July bash in the Hamptons regularly attended by some of the biggest A-listers in Hollywood. This year’s celebration — held on Monday, July 3 — was no exception, with a star-studded guest list that nearly rivaled that of the Met Gala.
Among the high-profile attendees were top athletes (including Tom Brady, James Harden and Kylian Mbappé), Grammy-winning musicians (Beyoncé and Jay-Z are repeat guests), and A-list actors (like Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, to name a few).
Models including Kendall Jenner, Emily Ratajkowski and Hailey Bieber also rubbed elbows at the event, while influencers like Dixie D’Amelio and Alix Earle posed for photos together. And of course, no party would be complete without surprise performances, with Ne-Yo and Usher among the night’s talent.
Rubin has been hosting the lavish bash — held at his Hamptons estate in Long Island, N.Y. — since 2021, though he’s also known for throwing similarly star-studded Super Bowl affairs. “One of the things I love doing is putting great people together,” Rubin said in a 2021 Insider profile. “I have a lot of friends with different backgrounds.”
So, who is the man behind one of the most coveted invites in Hollywood? Here’s everything to know about Michael Rubin and his annual Hamptons white party.
Rubin — who ranks #151 on Forbes’ Billionaires list as of July 2023 — made his fortune primarily through online retail. After dropping out of Villanova University following a single semester of studies, he founded GSI Commerce, an apparel and logistics company that he later sold to eBay for $2.4 billion in 2011. However, there were some assets that the retail giant didn’t want as part of the deal, so Rubin repurchased a few of his brands — including Fanatics, Rue La La and ShopRunner — for $500 million.
As the CEO and executive chairman of Fanatics — a position he still currently holds — Rubin brokered deals with over 300 professional sports leagues and teams, making the company the leader in sports merchandise and apparel. Today, Fanatics is an official merchandising partner of the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS and Nascar, along with hundreds of college teams. In December 2022, the company was valued at $31 billion, per Forbes.
Rubin is a fixture at major sporting events, particularly when it comes to his hometown team, the Philadelphia 76ers. In 2011, Rubin became even more of a power player in the sports industry after purchasing a minority share in the 76ers. He also later bought a stake in the New Jersey Devils in 2013. In 2022, however, Rubin sold his stakes in both teams due to conflicting interests as Fanatics moved more into sports betting and individual player partnerships, per ESPN. In a statement, Rubin said he would be “shifting from part-owner back to life-long fan” of the Sixers following the sale.
Rubin split from his first wife, Meegan Rubin, in 2011, though the pair continue co-parenting their daughter Kylie. The Fanatics CEO was later linked to model Camille Fishel, making his first appearance on her Instagram account in 2016. The couple have been together ever since and co-host the annual Hamptons bash together. Despite their party-planning expertise, the job isn’t without risk: Fishel suffered an unfortunate mishap at the 2022 event that landed her in the hospital with an injury, as Rubin revealed on Instagram.
Alongside a photo gallery from the evening — which featured a glam snap of the couple followed by two images of Fishel in the hospital, Rubin wrote that his girlfriend “[did] a face plant off the stage and ending up w a quick hospital visit 😂.” He continued, “Thanks Camille for making me miss my own party. All joking aside, she has a few bruises and a very bruised ego, but she’s all good and ready to redeem herself next year! 😂❤️❤️.” Luckily, this year’s party seemed to go off without a hitch, with Fishel giving Rubin a special shoutout on Instagram after the event. “Wow.. one for the books! Until next year❤️ ps. @michaelrubin you KILLED it again my love,” she wrote alongside a series of photos from the night.
Rubin became a first-time dad when he welcomed daughter Kylie with his ex-wife Meegan in 2006. Kylie is a regular fixture on her dad’s Instagram account, and the Fanatics CEO often shares photos of his daughter posing with his A-list friends. The teen was featured in several of Rubin’s photos from the 2023 white party, where she smiled alongside her father and guests including Lopez, Affleck and Affleck’s daughter Violet. Rubin also previously made headlines in February 2022 after gifting Kylie an “army tank” for her 16th birthday. Rubin is also the father of two young daughters with Fishel. The couple welcomed their first child together, daughter Romi, in 2020. Two years later, Rubin became a dad of three when Fishel gave birth to their second daughter, Gema.
In addition to his business ventures, Rubin is a dedicated philanthropist, focusing much of his work on criminal reform. He first got heavily involved with activism after his close friend, rapper Meek Mill, was imprisoned in 2017 (Mill was sentenced for a minimum of two years for violating probation in a 2008 gun and drug case by getting arrested twice). Rubin then spearheaded and financed a public campaign for Mill’s release, teaming up with stars like Jay-Z, Kevin Hart and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to advocate for the rapper. After serving five months in prison, Mill was released in April 2018 — which he celebrated by arriving via helicopter to a 76ers playoff game with Rubin.
Though Mill was later pardoned by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, permanently expunging the 2008 gun and drug charges from his criminal record, he and Rubin continued to champion criminal justice reform. In January 2019, along with Jay-Z and Kraft, the pair launched the REFORM Alliance, a nonprofit dedicated to probation, parole and sentencing reform. In May 2023, Rubin and REFORM partnered with Kim Kardashian to pay off the legal fees for more than 50 mothers across the U.S.
Per Page Six, Rubin hosted his first official Fourth of July party in 2021, though the event has quickly become one of the most noteworthy of the year. 2023’s bash saw some of the biggest A-listers assemble in their all-white outfits, per the strict dress code. In photos and videos posted by Rubin, stars including Kim Kardashian, Jack Harlow, Travis Scott, Lori Harvey, Justin Bieber, Odell Beckham Jr., Kenny Chesney and many more could be seen dancing and partying until the early hours.
“A big thanks to everyone who joined us – hope you’re hurting less than I am today lol In all seriousness, it’s an honor and a privilege to bring together so many amazing people each year,” Rubin wrote along one carousel of images.
Source: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images, Matt Young/Shutterstock, Michael Rubin Instagram, Shareif Ziyadat/FilmMagic
