Event Coverage

Models at the Calvin Klein launch Photo: Courtesy of Overcat Communications

When Coty Canada began planning Tuesday's media launch for the new Calvin Klein fragrance Secret Obsession, the company wanted to create a sense of mystery and suspense for guests. “Since the name of the product is Secret Obsession, we wanted to invite all of the media members and really not reveal where they were going," said Aliki Mahshy, director of public relations and education for Coty Canada. So the company arranged for private cars to pick up guests and drive them to a location that remained "undisclosed," Mahshy said.

Guests were dropped at the shipping entrance to a downtown building and taken through a subterranean tunnel of sorts to enter the event space, the the bank vault in the basement of the Suites at 1 King West. (The building, now a hotel, once housed the head office of the Dominion Bank of Canada.) “This location was so indicative of Secret Obsession. When we found this it was extremely intriguing to us. There’s a lot of caged elements and the idea or concept of unlocking something. It was really very fitting for this particular brand," Mahshy said.

Thermador's cooking contest-style press event Photo: Jessica Torossian for BizBash

With the ongoing popularity of Food Network cooking shows and reality TV series Top Chef, more and more chefs are coming out of the kitchen and into the spotlight—especially at events. Yesterday, Thermador played up this trend by presenting three New York culinary personalities in a cooking show-style format as a vehicle to promote its latest cooktops. Dubbed the Thermador Chefs Challenge, the event at the Altman Building involved two sessions—one in the afternoon and another in the evening—for more than 300 journalists and interior designers.

Hosted by chef and restaurateur Tom Colicchio, the challenge pitted chefs Michael Psilakis (of Anthos) and Alex Guarnaschelli (of Butter) against each other in a 15-minute cook-off involving chocolate. Although no winner was declared and the focus was more on the new technology than the chefs's performances, guests were able to sample the dishes and see the appliances in action. The event was overseen by Thermador PR manager Marni Hale and marketing agency the Rogers Group.

American Airlines Arena hosted the second annual Miami Children's Hospital Foundation Diamond Ball and private concert.  PGM Studios (Pedro Galvez)

With the bar set high (last year's inaugural event at Ice Palace Film Studios raked in more than $1 million for the charity), the Miami Children's Hospital Foundation pulled out all the stops for Saturday's dinner and private concert at American Airlines Arena. The ball's glitzy name and diamond theme stem from the charity's belief that children are the world's most valuable resource, explained Lucy Morillo, president of the Miami Children's Hospital Foundation.

Grammy and Country Music Association awards supervising producer Tzvi Small and BET Awards producer Ron Weisner helped the charity execute the concert portion of the evening.

"Miami Children's Hospital and its foundation are committed to helping children around the world and their families, and we can't think of a more worthy cause than that," said Weisner.

Pint-size models walked the hopscotch-marked runway with toys such as hula hoops and scooters during the debut Cookie Catwalk show.  Courtesy of Condé Nast

Funkshion Fashion Week Miami Beach, the alternative fashion week celebrating the fashion and music worlds, wrapped up its 11th season of shows Sunday at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens. Beginning on October 1, this year's event took a more eco-friendly approach to fashion by partnering with Clean Planet Funding and bringing in a variety of energy and environmental experts to assist with the production of the week. The collaboration was the result of Funkshion planners' desire to reduce the carbon footprint of the event and educate those involved in the shows, as well as the community, about the effects of building green.

With about 65 percent of total electricity consumption in the country coming from buildings, event planners contacted Alain Perez of Eventstar-a top tenting and temporary structure company in Miami-to construct the show venues. From the runway over the pool of the Setai and the rooftop pool of the Gansevoort South Hotel and Residences to Funkshion headquarters in the Botanical Gardens, all of the shows took place outside.

The open kitchen allowed guests to watch the chefs in action. Cristina Cook for BizBash

Not even a rainstorm could keep guests from attending Saturday night's red-carpet opening of Vic and Angelo's in Delray Beach. Orchestrated by the Gab Group PR & Marketing, this exclusive event on October 4 gave eventgoers an evening that tapped into the senses through elaborate interior design, high-quality food, and perfect lighting and sound-as well as beautiful fellow guests.

Particular attention was drawn to the simple yet sophisticated decor of the restaurant. Designed by Lynn Manero of Lynn Interior Designs, the venue features an array of reds, from the bottles of Chianti and red leather bar chairs to Campari bottle light fixtures. Flat-screen televisions decorate the Chicago-style brick walls, while plush dark brown leather booths, mosaic tiling, and dark wooden floors channel the Italian eatery's roots with a modern update. Outside, orange gel lighting was used to draw focus to the V.I.P. event.

The inside of Coty's Harajuku Lovers Fragrance Lounge Photo: Courtesy of Coty Prestige

The four Harajuku girls Gwen Stefani employed for her 2004 solo tour weren't around to promote the new Harajuku Lovers fragrances in Canada—but they were emulated by models dressed in short skirts and pigtails as part of manufacturer Coty Prestige's traveling Harajuku Lovers Fragrance Lounge, which visited several locations in Toronto and Montreal from Thursday to Saturday. They also inspired Stefani's new fragrances, with each of the four girls, plus Gwen, representing one of the five scents.

"The fragrances are really fun, and we wanted to get the girls involved in the event," said Kim Husted, director of marketing at Coty Canada. The lounge—held in the Jam Van, a 24-foot vehicle designed for experiential marketing events—promoted the new scents in high schools, malls, movie theatres, and nightclubs in Toronto and Montreal over the three-day period. The mini tour started October 2 with a media preview.

Models in Nordic-inspired costumes posed for pictures throughout the chilly bar. IceBar Orlando

Attendees to the grand opening of the first IceBar in the U.S. on October 1 were treated to an expedition to the Arctic Circle without leaving Orlando. Upon arrival they were greeted by IceBar Orlando staff members who provided them with the temperature-appropriate capes and gloves to stay warm during their 30-minute experience into the tundra.

After suiting up, guests made their way through the Chill Lounge, a 4,000-square-foot ultra-cool bar featuring live entertainment. Beyond the intricate ice sculptures, a DJ spinning venue-appropriate tunes such as "Ice, Ice Baby" by Vanilla Ice and Britney Spear's "Break the Ice" set the mood for dancers sporting Nordic-inspired costumes in glass cases.

On October 1, the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville celebrated the 25th anniversary of its grand reopening with an open house in conjunction with the city's Art Walk. Nearly 300 of people attended the event commemorating the "most ambitious and successful arts project ever undertaken in Jacksonville," according to the center's Web site.

The performing arts center entertained Jacksonville residents since opening as a movie theater in 1927, before it closed for a six-month renovation in 1983. Reopening in October of that year, the 1,900-seat theater now hosts around 200 events annually including fund-raisers, private receptions, and corporate meetings.

An antique motorcycle parked in the lobby of the museum provided a photo op for guests. BizBash

On Saturday close to 500 guests stepped out in their best 1950s attire for the fifth annual Be a Kid Again Gala in an effort to raise money for the educational programs at the Miami Children's Museum. The event, held at the 56,500-square-foot Watson Island venue, prompted attendees to channel their inner child and explore the hands-on exhibits. Thierry's Catering joined forces with ME Productions and Jason Frix to transport guests back in time nearly 60 years.

"It was important for us to provide entertainment that showcased the flavor of the fifties," said Ted Boyd of ME Productions. "Strolling characters and performers located throughout the event pulled guests to different spots in the museum, encouraging them to visit all the exhibits."

The interior of the 3M Command Campus tour truck Photo: Courtesy of GCI Group

To promote eight new storage products in its Command Strips line, 3M embarked on a 16-city tour in a big orange truck, visiting 21 colleges and universities in five Canadian provinces during September. The company, which manufactures products like Post-it notes and Scotch tape, created a dorm room inside the truck to show off items like its new adhesive key holder and storage containers. In line with the company’s Save the Walls Web site, the tour touted Command Strips' ability to adhere to walls without damaging them.

"The tour is about getting students to recognize the 3M brand and helping them stay organized. The products don't damage walls, so they can help students get their residence security deposits back at the end of the year," said Kevin Beaudoin, Canadian brand manager for 3M Command Strips. Beaudoin worked with the GCI Group and the London, Ontario-based Branton Advertising to put the tour together. Unit 11 outfitted the 272-square-foot space inside the truck with a bed, closet, and desk, along with a true-to-scale photo of a messy dorm room on the opposing wall to help illustrate the importance of organization.