Martin Scorsese, Kylie Jenner, and SZA Among Honorees at the WSJ. Innovator Awards

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Martin Scorsese, Kylie Jenner, SZA, and Ed Ruscha were among the seven big names honored at WSJ. Magazine’s 2023 Innovator Awards on Wednesday, held at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City.

Jenner, who was honored in the brand category, launched her latest enterprise earlier in the day: Khy, a clothing line featuring accessible essentials like a faux-leather trench coat and seamless separates.

“I’ve always loved beauty and fashion and to be recognized for the success of my brands I built and my new Khy that launched today, it’s so special to me,” said Jenner, 26, during her acceptance speech, according to WSJ. Magazine.

At the event, Jenner was seated next to her boyfriend Timothée Chalamet, who presented Scorsese with his award, jesting that he’d only worked with the acclaimed filmmaker on a Chanel commercial. 

Since 2011, the ceremony has celebrated trailblazers across industries—from fashion and literature to entertainment, technology, and philanthropy. Each year, the awards convene notable people across creative disciplines. Scorsese was honored for film in this year’s event; SZA for music; Julia Louis Dreyfuss for entertainment; Ed Ruscha for art; Jerry Lorenzo for fashion; and Walter Hood for design. The honorees are selected by WSJ. Magazine editors. 

Fashion designer Haider Ackermann presented Kylie Jenner with her award.


Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards

Honorees included SZA for music.


Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards

Among the stars to walk the red carpet—which was actually gold—were Linda Evangelista, Trevor Noah, Fernando Garcia, Martha Stewart, Jason Wu, Reneé Rapp, LaQuan Smith, and Joan Smalls. 

Fashion designer Haider Ackermann presented Jenner with her award. As he walked the red carpet, he told Penta that in coming up with his speech, “it was more the things I could not say than the things I could.”

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Scorsese was joined by his wife, Helen Morris, and daughter, Francesca. 

The 80-year-old director and producer’s honor comes on the heels of his latest epic, Killers of the Flower Moon

Julia Louis Dreyfuss was honored for entertainment.


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Scorsese told Penta he’d keep his acceptance speech short and sweet but cited the  supportive group around him like his managers and everyone who’s helped him along the way.

His daughter has become a filmmaker in her own right, but of the much-shorter variety, shooting viral TikToks starring her father. In fact, as Scorsese walked the carpet, he stopped to film a cameo in his daughter’s next TikTok, as did other stars, like fellow honoree Dreyfuss, and actor and musician LaKeith Stanfield, who told Penta he was happy to be on hand to celebrate his friend, fashion designer Jerry Lorenzo, who’s the founder of streetwear label Fear of God.

“I’m really glad that he’s come this far and is doing all the things that he’s doing,” Stanfield remarked. “I’m here for my boy.” 

Kasmere Trice, left, and LaKeith Stanfield attend the WSJ. Magazine 2023 Innovator Awards.


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Stanfield shared his own distinctive definition for what makes an innovator like his friend: “Someone that’s willing to engage in introspection, someone brazen enough to bring those ideas to the forefront, and someone ready to deal with backlash that might come as a result of doing something people aren’t used to.” 

Jordan Roth, a Broadway theater producer, told Penta that he fancied an innovator as someone like photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. “He showed us how to think about our bodies, sex, and sexuality. … It was just a whole new way for me.” 

Broadway producer Jordan Roth poses with fashion designer LaQuan Smith.


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Marc Jacobs,
who attended with his husband, Char Defrancesco, said he was most excited to see artist Ed Ruscha accept his award. He named Yves Saint Laurent as the first innovator who inspired him. “When I learned about Yves Saint Laurent and what he did to French fashion, that made the most impression on me.” 

Marc Jacobs—pictured with his husband, Char Defrancesco—looked forward to watching Ed Ruscha accept his award.


Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards

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Later that night, as Scorsese took the stage to accept his award, he lauded technology’s evolution and its contributions to movie-making like the Steadicam, according to WSJ. Magazine’s coverage of the ceremony. As for his starring roles in his daughter’s TikToks and their acclaim, Francesa, 23, told Penta that he’s only just become aware of how riveted the internet is by them.

“He’s starting to realize because an insane amount of people are telling him about it,” she laughed. “Other filmmakers are coming up to him like, ‘You know, you’re on TikTok…’” she continued. “I mean, he actually got Francis Ford Coppola to make an Instagram.” 

The night wrapped up the first awards ceremony under Sarah Ball, the new WSJ. Magazine editor in chief.

“Celebrating this incredible lineup has been deeply gratifying over the last few weeks, and it all culminated in last night’s gala,” Ball said in a news release after the event. “I’m still buzzing from the energy in the room at MoMA as we toasted these remarkable individuals.”

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