Debbie Durkin’s pre-Emmys lounge gathered actors, television producers and lifestyle brands for an afternoon of beauty discoveries, Caribbean flavors and support for rescue dogs. With DJ Paxy on the decks, mango salsa on the menu and rescue dogs ready to meet potential adopters, ECOLUXE’s Endless Summer Festival gave Emmy week a distinctly daytime rhythm. The invitation-only gathering took place Sept. 11 in Beverly Hills, where producer Debbie Durkin brought entertainment guests and emerging brands together ahead of television’s biggest celebration.
The timing supplied the anticipation: The 78th Emmy Awards telecast was three days away, on Sept. 14. At ECOLUXE, the afternoon’s agenda involved summer portraits, conversations with founders and opportunities to meet the dogs from Wagmor Pets Dog Rescue, the event’s beneficiary.
Now in its 19th year, Durkin’s Emmy-week tradition connects celebrity hospitality with product discovery and charitable causes. Her ECOLUXE Luxury Lounge gives lifestyle businesses a place to introduce their work directly to actors, producers and other entertainment figures, with sustainability and purposeful living central to its stated mission.
The guest list spanned several generations of screen talent. Gilles Marini, known for the “Sex and the City” film and “Dancing With the Stars,” attended, as did “Cobra Kai” actor Jesse Kove. Terrence Terrell, who won a 2019 Daytime Emmy for his supporting performance in “Giants” and later appeared in “B Positive,” brought his own awards connection to the afternoon.
Obba Babatundé, a Daytime Emmy winner for “The Bold and the Beautiful,” was also among the guests. Juju Brener, who played young Sarah Sanderson in “Hocus Pocus 2,” attended alongside fellow guests Mila Brener and Shirly Brener. The broader roster included RJ Cyler, Joseph Gatt, Porscha Coleman, Nadège August, Jasmine Davis, Carrie Bernans, Patricia Kara and digital creator Adam Waheed.
Television’s behind-the-scenes community was represented by Marc Anthony Nicolas, the two-time Emmy-winning producer whose credits include “The Talk.” Getty Images covered arrivals, while celebrity photographer David Christopher Lee photographed guests for summer portraits. Together, the industry turnout and photography gave participating brands visibility during an especially busy week for entertainment media.
Beauty sponsors made product discovery hands-on. Libertad Vida Beauty, founded by former cosmetic chemist Esme, hosted a make-your-own lip gloss bar, inviting guests into the creative process. Colors by Aria introduced Ari Heart, a color-changing lip oil from 5-year-old entrepreneur Aria, the gathering’s youngest brand founder.
Elsewhere, College Girl Cherished presented monthly care boxes designed to send encouragement, spiritual support and self-care items to college students. The concept brought a familiar family ritual into the lounge: sending something thoughtful to someone living away from home.
Patriox Water supplied refreshments throughout the warm afternoon. Relax Sauna introduced its far-infrared sauna offerings, while West Hollywood’s ROSS Massage highlighted its corrective bodywork services. California-based My Best Bud presented its pet CBD products, adding another pet-focused business to a gathering already supporting animal rescue.
Guests also received gift bags featuring Honey & Stone Beauty’s Goddess Serum and Viking Beard Oil, Marci’s Pet Kitchen dog treats, Fayah Streetwear sunglasses, ettitude bamboo bedding and ECOLUXE merchandise. The assortment extended the afternoon’s mix of beauty, home comforts and pet care.
Wagmor’s dogs gave that final category a more immediate meaning. With animals on-site for adoption, guests could connect directly with the rescue’s work while making their rounds through the lounge. As Emmy week moved toward its televised finale, ECOLUXE left room for a quieter possibility: a chance meeting that could lead a rescue dog home.
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Photo credits: Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images
