It was Saturday night of New York Fashion Week, and everywhere Emmanuel Perrotin turned, hands were being thrust at him.

Ronnie Fieg, the founder of Kith, the cool-kid street wear brand, congratulated him. Johan Lindberg, the Swedish fashion designer and party fixture, paid his respects. Next up were Alexandre Arnault, the 26-year-old son of Bernard Arnault, and his younger brother Frederic, who seemed to take in the festive atmosphere with an appraiser’s eye.

Also swirling around Mr. Perrotin in the crush of street-style poseurs were beau monde bohos like Kaws, Alexandre de Betak, André Saraiva and Jefferson Hack.

From the sidewalk, outside the old Beckenstein Home Fabrics building on Orchard Street, it looked like yet another A-list party on the fashion circuit. But inside, as everyone in attendance knew, this was the latest art opening orchestrated by Mr. Perrotin, 50, the highly sociable gallery owner from Paris, who has emerged as one of the savviest showmen on the global commercial art scene.