See Rare Early-Aughts Party Pics Of Paris Hilton & Scarlett Johansson

Alain Levitt has always known what makes a good picture — it just took him 20 years to believe it. His new book, titled NYC 2000-2005, captures downtown Manhattan’s nightlife scene during that time period, with mostly never-before-seen images of Chloë Sevigny, Paris Hilton, Krysten Ritter, and Jay-Z, as well as a particularly memorable NYLON Fashion Week party.

While working as a barback after arriving in New York in the late ‘90s, the Los Angeles native set out on some of his first photography assignments in large part due to his sister, Danielle Levitt, who had a style column at the New York Post. “I didn't know who people were,” he tells NYLON. “I was the weird party photographer. I was actually called that once.” But Levitt says he used his self-described social awkwardness to find calm and a sense of purpose — before he eventually took a pause to open Bacaro in 2007 when he realized everything was going digital. Luckily, he kept “giant tubs” of his prints in a storage unit, which he later rediscovered during the pandemic. Though he says he never considered himself a true photographer, “once I looked at those prints and started putting them out into the world [on] Instagram, the response was instant,” he says.

Here, the photographer shares his memories of shooting Paris Hilton, Scarlett Johansson, Chloë Sevigny, Mischa Barton, and Krysten Ritter.

“I remember being aware of Paris Hilton at [this 2001 NYLON Fashion Week] party; I have photos of her with her sister [Nicky Hilton] there, and also a boyfriend. I remember thinking how young she was and how wild she seemed. My friend Nathan came with me that night, we were both just kind of like, ‘Holy shit. Can you believe this? This is where we are now.’ There's the elite of New York and the kids of the elite… and then the kids of the elite. They’re here. I just felt like I was kind of watching what was their given playground.”

“Los Angeles. This was probably 2003. Chloë [Sevigny] and Tara Subkoff had Imitation of Christ at the time. I think Tara was dating… Oh man, The Royal Tenenbaums director? And they were doing a fashion show at what was once a nursing home, blocks from where I grew up on the outskirts of Beverly Hills. And it was star-studded. Scarlett Johansson seemed very shy, like this was new to her, you know. I can't speak for her, but I got a sense that it was like her coming-out sort of event. She was getting used to a sense of vulnerability. There's not the look [here] that I get from someone who's really seasoned. And it was nice to get pre-that.”

“[Chloë Sevigny is] so cool. When I came out to New York and she was hanging out at parties, she was a celebrity — we knew who she was — but she wasn't a celebrity. She was one of us; she was a downtown person. So when you see each other at one of these parties, it's kind of like an acknowledgment. I remember I lifted my camera in a kind of “May I take your picture?,” and that's this moment.

I had been [her] around a little bit, but I feel like it was the first time where it was less walking the red carpet and [more of] a one-on-one. I have so many pictures of her now. I may have been more self-conscious with Chloë and was somewhat reserved... or tried to be cool a little bit.”

“I love that photo. El Quijote. Chelsea Hotel. Jane Mayle was my wife's boss [as] a fashion designer. She was — and still is — amazing. I want to say it was [her] birthday party. Mischa Barton was a fan of her clothing. The way I shoot, you just have to get lucky. Even seeing [this photo] now, I’m like, ‘Oh man.’ And I had nothing to do with it. I've known Jane a long time, so there's love there. But I don't see myself in it. And I don't ever feel like I did it. It just happens.”

“Pre-fame Krysten Ritter! Krysten was our friend, just hanging out in the downtown scene. She [was] dating this guy in a band, I didn't know she was an actress. Just like any of us went to parties, she was at the party. We were on Bowery at William Eadon's apartment. Krysten and another girl were modeling these, like, plastic shopping-bag outfits. This was very cheeky, because Krysten is obviously beautiful and could be a model. But I think this is her just kind of making fun of the situation. I was like, ‘Oh, I need to shoot this.’”

In tandem with his book’s release on May 1, a collection of Levitt’s work is on display at WHAAM! in New York through May 25 and at HVW8 in Los Angeles starting May 30 until June 26.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.