| EVENT REPORT 09.14.07 12:40 PM |
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| Striping It Rich |
| Upscale retailer Henri Bendel hosted a birthday benefit in honor of its signature stripe's 100th year. |
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On Tuesday night, upscale retailer Henri Bendel threw a big birthday bash. Complimentary cocktails flowed, a band played, and designers such as Alice & Olivia and Anna Sui created one-of-a-kind dresses as part of the celebration. But the guest of honor had no comment regarding all of the fuss. Forgivable behavior, considering the feted party was, um, a stripe motif.
You see, 2007 marks the 100th year of Bendel’s signature brown-and-white stripes, and 300 guests, including editors, designers, employees of Hachette Filipacchi Media (a cosponsor), store vendors, and friends of the retailer gathered at the Highline Ballroom to mark the occasion. |
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PHOTO GALLERY |
 | Due to popular demand, the benefit's silent auction for the custom brown-and-white dresses was extended, and will continue in-store at Henri Bendel.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | Band Bishop Allen played a short set, and capped it off by singing "Happy Birthday." A balloon drop punctuated the serenade.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | Servers in Bendel-branded shirts and striped masks passed cupcakes and petit fours. At least one guest expressed dismay over the lack of more savory appetizers.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | A festive mannequin provided a backdrop for the night's performance.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | Attendees bid on single-edition dresses and other items, including a Nikon camera and a Henri Bendel shopping spree, in the event's silent auction.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | In addition to some hip factor, Bishop Allen provided what Henri Bendel public relations manager Daniela Maron described as what every Bendel Girl wants: "Good music and cute boys."
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | The silent auction also featured dresses from a collaboration between Ghita designer Alexis Pfifer and photographer Mark Seliger.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | Guests signed a giant birthday card that will be displayed at Henri Bendel.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | Some guests' attire paid homage to the Bendel stripe.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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 | The Highline Ballroom provided birthday sweets.
Photo: Mia Mala McDonald for BizBash |
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The evening included noshing on mini brown-and-white cupcakes and petit fours, a performance by the Brooklyn-based band Bishop Allen, and an auction of more than a dozen dresses inspired by the stripes from a crop of top designers. Proceeds from the auction will benefit Keep a Child Alive, an organization dedicated to providing treatment and care to AIDS-affected children in Africa.
Working with Henri Bendel event manager Rebecca Edell, the store's visual director, Gilberto Santana, oversaw the decor scheme, which put the stripe front and center. A display of the dresses up for auction anchored the space, and a mannequin holding both a bunch of brown and white balloons and multiple Bendel bags graced the stage. Brown-and-white banners emblazoned with "100" hung from the ballroom's balcony.
"We wanted an element of fun and whimsy, but also wanted to respect the heritage [of the stripe]. We wanted to find that middle level," Santana said. "The most important thing is to have people have the same joy and pride over our heritage."
One of the key factors in selecting the Highline Ballroom was the support of the High Line Project that came along with it. (A portion of the fee paid to the venue benefits the urban renewal project.) Santana reported that some members of the committee charged with selecting a venue voiced concerns that the space was too harsh or industrial. "I was always confident I could turn that around," he said. "We worked with light a lot to create the ambience we needed."
—Mimi O'Connor
RELATED TOPICS
Henri Bendel, Hachette Filipacchi
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