A Peek Into Cosmopolitan’s “Build-A-Capybara” Party With Build-A-Bear

A rainy Thursday in New York City typically consists of your go-to takeout order, a binge-worthy series, and the perfect night in. Leave it to Cosmopolitan and Build-A-Bear to inspire guests to brave the intense rain and take a trip down memory lane with “Build-A-Capybara”—an epic insider experience in honor of our fall cover star, JENNIE, and her favorite animal, the capybara.Wells BusseyUpon arrival at the 34th Street store, guests were greeted by members of Cosmo’s team and guided to their first stop: the stuffing station. They picked out their capybara plushie, grabbed a miniature heart, and made it official with a heart ceremony and some help from the Build-A-Bear team. Next, they created magic at our custom Build-A-Bear condo station, complete with jewels, markers, and all of the rhinestone stickers anyone could ever need. Larger-than-life posters of JENNIE’s six covers made for the perfect photo op throughout the night, and the magazines scattered throughout the store had everyone hunting for their favorite color. Pink and yellow? Let’s just say they were clear crowd favorites.Wells BusseyGuests included Cosmopolitan editor-in-chief Willa Bennett along with models and creators Kendall Griffin and Adrienne Reau. Clare Ngai-Howard, founder of BonBonWhims, and Marisa of meshtimes were also in attendance. Artists Emma Leavey and Lauren Eusebio, both featured in our fan artists cover series, were joined by fellow artist sourviolet, and shared their favorite JENNIE covers with their capybara plushies in hand. In addition to heading home with a new stuffed animal (complete with pink bows or a cute tutu), one of the best parts of the evening was hearing guests talk about unlocked childhood memories and a type of wholesome fun that they forgot they needed in adulthood. Is a Cosmo x Build-A-Bear crossover a little unexpected? Sure, but the result was an immersive collaboration filled with a little bit of nostalgia and, of course, a lot of love for JENNIE.Wells BusseyWells Bussey