| EVENT REPORT 06.20.08 12:54 PM |
PRINT | SEND TO A FRIEND |
|
| Sneak Peaks |
| For its Washington Designer Preview, Nordstrom once again partnered with nonprofit Knock Out Abuse Against Women to host a colorful runway show. |
|
Nordstrom attracted some 500 Washington fashion-focused types on Tuesday night for the retailer’s seventh Designer Preview show, held for the second year at the National Building Museum. The evening showcased more than 100 coming-soon looks from big-name designers such as Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, and Jil Sander, offering shoppers the chance to preorder items from the fall 2008 collections.
The sold-out event, for which tickets started at $125, benefited Knock Out Abuse Against Women, a nonprofit that supports shelters for victims of domestic violence. Since last year, the show saw a jump in attendance, up from last year’s 300, and in fund-raising, which grew from $42,000 to $60,000. The event's layout changed, too, as Nordstrom event marketing coordinator Gina McGowan wanted to keep guests on their (in some cases, Jimmy Choo-clad) toes. “We needed some change to keep it fresh,” she said, noting that the elevated runway moved to the middle of the building’s atrium for a more dramatic effect. |
|
CONTINUED > |
|
|
PHOTO GALLERY |
 | The event's boutique area allowed some 500 guests to shop the evening's fashions.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
 | Centerpieces of purple orchids and calla lilies sat on tables in the boutique area.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
 | Nordstrom illustrator Ruben Toledo designed the fashion-focused invitations, posters, and programs for the event.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
 | Passed hors d'oeuvres from Design Cuisine included balls of smoked salmon on silver spoons.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
 | A display of mannequins wearing fall 2008 looks added to the boutique feel.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
 | Rows of glossy black bamboo chairs surrounded the elevated runway on three sides.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
 | For the 1920s-style Carmen Marc Valvo Couture collection, green graphics (including an image of a butterfly flapping its wings) covered the backdrop.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
 | Guests perused the boutique area before the fashion show, and returned to order runway looks afterwards.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash |
|
|
|
|
|
For the preshow reception, McGowan worked with the fashion and design team to create a pop-up Nordstrom store, complete with racks of clothing from the evening’s designers, an accessories boutique stocked with Valentino and Dior, eight dressing rooms with silver curtains, and sleek metal bars to match. The museum’s bathroom featured a display of designer perfume.
The 40-minute fashion show, however, was the evening's real draw. To keep the audience’s attention, as many as eight models walked the runway at the same time, stopping occasionally to pose. The backdrop visuals and music, handled by the Nordstrom team, also changed to reflect each collection. Cheetah-print outfits from Michael Kors inspired projections of moving green dots and Duffy’s “Mercy,” while Valentino’s black and white creations got a blood-red background and Flight of the Conchords’ comedic tune “Foux Du Fafa.”
After the show, staffers hustled the looks off the models and over to the boutique, where shoppers could preorder the items and indulge in chocolate truffles and key lime tartlets. No one went home empty-handed, as each attendee received a colorful dish decorated by Nordstrom’s own illustrator, Ruben Toledo.
—Adele Chapin
RELATED TOPICS
Nordstrom, Knock Out Abuse Against Women
MORE EVENT REPORT STORIES
MoMA Gets Suitably Whimsical and Macabre for Tim Burton Tribute
New Moon Premiere Beckons 10,000 People and 2 Live Wolves
MSNBC and Rodale Fete Jeff Corwin's New Book and Documentary at the Occidental
Dark and Moody Accents, Animal-Inspired Decor Appear on Tabletops at Diffa's Dining by Design
More Photos From Fight Night/Knock Out Abuse: Stogies, Laser Shows, and a VW Bus Bar
MORE STORIES ABOUT NORDSTROM
Washington's Top Fashion & Beauty Events 2009
Washington's Top Fashion & Beauty Events 2008
Nordstrom Hosts Men's Runway Show
MORE STORIES ABOUT KNOCK OUT ABUSE AGAINST WOMEN
Washington's Top Benefits 2009
Equinox Grand Opening Uses 25-Foot Skylight for Fitness-Forward Performances
| More Suppliers/Venues to Consider |
ADVERTISEMENT |
|
|
|
Smithsonian's National Museum of American History
Corporations and other organizations have an opportunity unavailable anywhere else: to co-host a reception or dinner adjacent to highly acclaimed exhibitions that tell the story of the American people. Such exhibitions as "The Star-Spangled Banner," "The American Presidency," "Abraham Lincoln: An Extraordinary Life," and "First Ladies" feature artifacts that include Thomas Jefferson’s lap desk, George Washington’s uniform, Julia Child’s kitchen, Dorothy’s ruby slippers, and thousands more! More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
|
Occasions Caterers
Renowned for personalized parties, superior menus, and attention to detail, Occasions Caterers has earned a national reputation for flawless execution. Elegant events range from intimate sit-down dinners and theme parties, to galas and benefits, lavish weddings, major fund-raisers, and corporate receptions. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
|
Ridgewells
‛Fresh“ is their mantra. For 80 years, Ridgewells has set the standard for fresh food and fresh entertaining ideas in Washington, D.C. More >>
EMAIL THIS RESOURCE |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
