Lily Collins, Naomi OsakaPhoto by: Presley Ann/Shutterstock
Sleek, exhilarating, and memorable: tennis matches often resemble the ideal night out. Every year, the Desert Smash dinner party unifies the two in star-studded fashion—and that’s not simply due to the lack of light pollution in the Coachella Valley. Gesturing to the well-dressed guests in his midst, founder Ryan Macaulay told Vogue, “Entertainment loves sport and sport loves entertainment.”
Fueled by Macaulay’s passion over the last 22 years, the celebrity-attended charity event has rallied—and occasionally aced—together those who usually bring their skills to the mediums of entertainment and philanthropy, all for a good cause. This year, Desert Smash raised funds for the USTA Foundation, which runs youth programs in under-resourced communities across the country.
Ahead of the tournament, the tennis whites were put on hold as everyone mingled on the grounds of Zenyara for an evening of introductions. Owned by real estate mogul Michael Scott, the 70-acre private estate captures the mystique and expanse of the terrain. Putting a whole new meaning to the term “sandbar,” guests in heels, loafers, and—wisely—flat sandals navigated their way across powdery granules to the bartenders to order cocktails like The Green Heat–a Dobel Tequila concoction swung with fruity Midori and hit with spicy Ancho Reyes.
Mirroring the rapid speed of back-and-forth between rackets, conversation remained energetic between those dressed in Carolina Herrera, Christopher Esber, and Trina Turk. Actress Lily Collins posed between Italian champs Lorenzo Musetti and Matteo Berrettini and chatted animatedly with all-stars Naomi Osaka and Elena Rybakina. Meanwhile, the strategic use of warm lighting and fire pits refracted from the lagoon as actors Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, and Eric McCormack shared a laugh while enjoying Japanese-Italian fusion dishes, such as unagi gnocchi and banana olive oil cake complete with Nutella and matcha milk jam.
Through a partnership with HexClad, Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame, held up tuna hand-rolls like trophies. Guests cheered and snapped photos of the night’s biggest star: the 180-pound bluefin tuna that contributed both a spectacle through its preparation and an appetizer easy to manage with a French tip.