Banks Performs at Veronica Beard’s Fashion Week Party at The Nines

Veronica Beard will debut its new spring collection on Sunday, but Thursday night was a celebration of the current moment. The brand hosted a swanky cocktail downtown at The Nines in celebration of its new Dash Bag, part of the brand’s current fall collection. The evening also featured a live performance by singer-songwriter Banks, who was celebrating her own milestone, the 10-year anniversary of her debut album “Goddess,” released Sept. 5, 2014.

“I think it was my most enjoyable fashion party I’ve ever played,” said Banks after her set. “I feel like everyone here is music people. A lot of the times at these parties, people are just talking. People were really into the vibe. So it was cool.”

The music-minded crowd included designers Veronica Miele Beard and Veronica Swanson Beard, with guests like Shailene Woodley, Sophia Bush, Camila Morrone, Paris Jackson, Amandla Stenberg, G-Eazy, Jill Kargman, Stephanie Suganami, Jasmine Tookes and Brianne Howey. Many were dressed in pieces from the fall collection, which includes the newly launched Dash Bag.

Banks had chosen an all-black Veronica Beard ensemble for the occasion, including a leather jacket adorned with the brand’s gold crest buttons. “It feels really comfortable to move in onstage, but it also feels really feminine and sexy and strong and empowering. And that’s everything I want to feel when I’m onstage,” she said.

In honor of her debut album, the musician just announced that she’ll rerecord and release an acoustic version of “Goddess.”

“All my songs start from an acoustic place, and then the production is formed around it,” said Banks, who was headed home to Seattle the following morning. “People have obviously heard the produced version, so I thought to celebrate it would be nice for people to just hear the stripped-back versions of it,” she added. “Like tonight — this is the first time I played ‘Goddess’ acoustic. And I haven’t played these songs in years live, anyways. But tonight I was just riffing at the end, and it’s been really fun to do things like that on the acoustic album, because you add newness to what has been.”

Adding newness to what has been — sounds a lot like fashion week, no?