The hall of faces photo op used custom printed wallpaper that covered three walls of the ballroom.
Photo: Gabor Ekecs
HBO's 'Game of Thrones' Premiere After-Party
The after-party for the seventh season premiere of HBO series Game of Thrones took place July 12 at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. The event, which was produced by Billy Butchkavitz Design, featured a screening of the episode accompanied by a live orchestra. Projections by Bart Kresa Design depicted images such as a dragon flying and breathing fire, and montages of every cast member’s official character posters, and moved continuously throughout the evening.
Photo: Gabor Ekecs
The Spotted Cheetah
PepsiCo's Frito-Lay enlisted celebrity chef Anne Burrell to create an entire restaurant based on Cheetos. The Spotted Cheetah, a pop-up eatery open from August 15 to 17 in New York's TriBeCa neighborhood, served four appetizers—or “Dangerously Cheezy Starters”—as well as four entrées and a trio of desserts. Decor took its cues from the colors and styling of brand mascot Chester Cheetah, as well as Burrell herself.
Photo: Courtesy of Getty Images
The Spotted Cheetah
Burrell created a dish using two cheetos flavors—Flamin' Hot and White Cheddar—in addition to three other entrées, appetizers, and even desserts.
Photo: Courtesy of the Spotted Cheetah
HBO's 'Ballers'
HBO’s Ballers celebrated its season-three premiere with a retail pop-up shop in West Hollywood. At the launch event on July 20, artist Logan Real customized shoes for guests, while DJ Wonder performed.
Photo: Michael Angulo/Team Epiphany
Instagram for Business and Hedley & Bennett's School of Hustle
Small business owners and entrepreneurs gathered for the first-ever School of Hustle on August 14 at Hedley & Bennett’s Los Angeles headquarters. The daylong conference, which was presented by Instagram for Business and the trendy apron company, allowed attendees to swap insights and advice on navigating the small business world, as well as learn lessons on using social media effectively.
Photo: S. Cole Kiburz
Instagram for Business and Hedley & Bennett's School of Hustle
The one-day event, which was styled by Twink & Sis, featured a summer-camp theme with canoes, teepees, and outdoor-inspired, Instagrammable details.
Photo: Holly Jo
Instagram for Business and Hedley & Bennett's School of Hustle
The stage backdrop featured oversize rope art similar to a summer camp craft.
Photo: S. Cole Kiburz
Girl Cult Festival
The inaugural Girl Cult festival, which was organized by the founders of Galore Media, a magazine, digital platform, and creative agency, took place on August 20 in Los Angeles. The event featured a series of musical performances as well as panels, and was billed as a “festival for kickass women and allies who want to come together and create a new vision.”
Photo: Prince Chenoa & Jacob Dekat/Galore
Girl Cult Festival
In the rooftop space—dubbed the “Queen Stage”—sponsor Nasty Gal surprised attendees with a massive pizza from Big Mama's & Papa's Pizza that spelled the words “Girl Cult” in pepperoni.
Photo: Prince Chenoa & Jacob Dekat/Galore
The U.S. Open Experience
The U.S. Open Experience, which is located in the South Street Seaport in Lower Manhattan and is open through today, serves as a precursor to the annual tennis contest, which will take place August 28 to September 10 at the U.S.T.A. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens. Several sponsored activities are included in the space, such as a Heineken happy hour and a Chase photo activation with the U.S. Open trophy.
Rendering: Courtesy of the U.S. Open
A Parisienne-theme bat mitzvah from Melissa Andre, one of the top 40 event designers of 2017.
Photo: Mango Studios
Before heading into the screening, guests could grab popcorn or on-theme specimen bags stuffed with candy.
Photo: Emily Duncan
Clos Pegase winery in Calistoga fit the moody vibe organizers were looking for, and was dramatically lit by Got Light to evoke the feeling of Gotham City.
Photo: Andrew Weeks
A joint event between Variety and British Airways in 2013 took place at a Los Angeles mansion, and black-and-white decor took on a residential feel. To celebrate the heritage of British Airways, the Union Jack appeared on black-and-white pillows at a seating group that surrounded a modern fire pit.
Photo: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Variety
Lucite chairs, candles, and sleek white linens dressed the 150-foot tables at the Joffrey Ballet gala in Chicago in 2010.
Photo: Greg Davis/Powell Photography Inc.
For his September show in New York at Spring Studios entitled “Beauty,” Jason Wu went simple and stark with the all-white venue. Produced by Bureau Betak, the space featured simple white bench seating and a floor-to-ceiling backdrop that mimicked a deconstructed boudoir mirror—with detached molding that created a mirage-like effect.
Photo: Jamie McGregor Smith
The 2006 Screen Actors Guild awards gala in Los Angeles had a striking but simple look from event designer Stanlee Gatti, with bunches of upside-down calla lillies hanging overhead. White furnishings were arranged in lounge-like formations.
Photo: Nadine Froger Photography
At this year's Dining by Design, the annual fund-raising event hosted by Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, Smartwater's space aimed to reflect the brand's natural water purification process, which is mirrored after rain clouds. The fluffy fixtures lit up like a storm above the simple table setting. The event took place at New York's Pier 92 in March.
Photo: Cornelia Stiles/BizBash
At a Saucony-hosted event in Boston in 2011, an art exhibit around the perimeter of the space incorporated the brand's sneakers and minimalist art.
Photo: Phase One Photography
In 2012, Yahoo marked the relaunch of Genome, a brand previously known as Interclick, with a minimalist affair in New York. To create a modern aesthetic inside a SoHo townhouse, the producers employed a mix of clean lines and white furnishings. For entertainment, the organizers brought in synchronized swimmers dressed to look like aliens.
Photo: Sean T. Smith
At a 2013 brunch for L'Oréal, designer and producer Joe Moller added subtle branding to the setup on the Viceroy Miami's outdoor terrace, adding L'Oréal lettering to the backs of chairs and using shallow gold vases filled with products as tabletop centerpieces.
Photo: Joe Moller
The Women's Wear Daily Beauty Summit in 2013 had a sleek, all-white design from Shiraz Events. Guests sat in clear Miro chairs at communal tables topped with white linens and simple birch vases holding cobble moss balls.
Photo: Sean Smith
To cap off New York Fashion Week in 2010, Calvin Klein hosted a party with seating vignettes of minimalist, low-slung white sofas and ottomans around fireplaces.
Photo: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com
At a product launch for watch brand Q&Q in New York, guests were encouraged to take photos against a modern backdrop. Guests who posed for snaps received a coin that would allow them to receive a free watch from a giant gumball machine.
Photo: Kent Miller Studios
To launch its newest A8 model at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2010, Audi created a 45,000-square-foot temporary structure. EventStar worked with Audi, German architecture firm the Design Company, and Miami event management firm Siinc Agency to design the pavilion.
Photo: Elizabeth Renfrow for BizBash
At a dinner to mark new gallery openings at the Art Institute of Chicago in 2011, Heffernan Morgan bathed webbed scrims in golden light to cast spiderweblike patterns throughout the modern dinner space.
Photo: Robert Carl
At a benefit for New York's High Line in 2011, fresh vegetables provided by Bite were displayed on a simple buffet spread.
Photo: Jeeyun Lee/BizBash
Take Time to Toast Event Series
Danielle Gibson Events holds a regular event series called Take Time to Toast, which is dedicated to empowering women entrepreneurs and toasting accomplishments of those in nontraditional work roles. The February edition, held at Stable Cafe in San Francisco, had a "Galentine’s Day" theme. A “Collaboration Station” featured a bag for each attendee, each of which was hand-calligraphed by Blushtype with her name, title, and business. Next to the wall was a candy station by CandyClub with branded valentines that included phrases such as “I want to take time to toast you” or "You're the best* thing in my life (*besides Rosé).” Guests were encouraged to fill a small candy bag and write a card to another attendee. “Some attendees also took this opportunity to drop their business cards into the bags and spread the word of their own business,” said Shaina Braun, an event coordinator at Danielle Gibson Events. “It was a nice icebreaker to start the event and a great way to get to know the other women in attendance. At the end of the night, each attendee brought their bag home with them and got to open up lots of love and girl-power messages.”
Photo: Meg Smith Photography
Girlboss Rally
Sophia Amoruso’s company Girlboss hosted the second Girlboss Rally at Industria Studios in New York in November. The event brought together top female entrepreneurs including Ashley Graham, Elaine Welteroth, Leandra Medine, and Whitney Wolfe, plus 600 attendees from 14 countries. Decor from the Gathery included a pink-lit hallway with hanging signs that said “No-Shame Zone,” “Start Your Own Shit,” and other inspiring phrases.
Photo: Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Girlboss Media
Girlboss Rally
The sold-out Girlboss rally also had inspirational phrases on the walls from prominent women such as Beyoncé and Maya Angelou.
Photo: Ben Draper
Refinery29's 29Rooms
At Refinery29’s 29Rooms in New York in Los Angeles, illustrator Jen Mussari designed hand-painted punching bags and gloves for a “The Future Is Female” installation. Electronic music artist Madame Gandhi created beats in the space that guests could turn on by punching the bags.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Refinery29's 29Rooms
The Los Angeles edition of Refinery29's 29Rooms in December also featured messages of women's empowerment. A room from entertainer Lilly Singh presented women as superheroes and addressed the cycle of girl-on-girl hate. Refinery29 staffers acted as models for the painted work. Attendees were also invited to enter a phone booth and call a female friend to spread a message of love.
Photo: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Refinery29
Refinery29's 29Rooms
Both the New York and Los Angeles editions of 29Rooms collaborated with Planned Parenthood on a large-scale installation called “Bright Future,” which used bright neon signage to highlight women’s healthcare issues. Guests could also listen to stories from people who’ve been touched by the organization, as well as pledge their support.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
Sparkle and Shine Darling's Vision Board Soiree
Miami-based retail shop and event space Sparkle and Shine Darling hosted a female-focused event in January 2016. The Vision Board Soiree invited 200 women to create their own motivational vision boards with photos, quotes, magazine cutouts, and more. The boutique was transformed into a creative space meant to empower women of all ages, and guests could snack on cookies featuring phrases such as “She believed she could, so she did.”
Photo: World Red Eye
AwesomenessTV and Gatorade's Workout Class
In December in Los Angeles, AwesomenessTV and Gatorade welcomed local high school girls to a motivational workout class led by celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson, actress Lea Michele, World Cup champion Julie Foundy, and TV host Rachel DeMita. The women led a conversation about how playing sports shaped who they are today, and workout area featured colorful lockers adorned with the phrase “Sisters in Sweat.”
Photo: Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Awesomeness
The Makers Conference
Held in NeueHouse Hollywood in February, the Makers Conference drew advocates for women’s rights from the tech, entertainment, business, and nonprofit fields. The 2018 edition featured discussions on the Time’s Up movement, the power of creating a collective group, and a speech by Hillary Clinton. Speakers—including executive producer of Divided States of Women at Vox Media Liz Plank (left) and Emmy-winning screenwriter Lena Waithe—held discussions underneath a stage backdrop that displayed the conference’s theme of “Raise Your Voice.”
Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Makers
'The Handmaid's Tale' Art Installation
To celebrate the premiere of The Handmaid's Tale in April 2017, Hulu showcased an interactive public art installation at the High Line in New York. Designed by graphic artists Paula Scher and Abbott Miller, the multimedia installation was produced by Civic Entertainment Group and fabricated by Duggal Visual Solutions. It featured a red-and-black color scheme with illustrations of handmaid silhouettes, along with hanging light fixtures resembling the white hats the title characters wear in the series. As passersby grabbed novels, the piece was deconstructed to reveal messages of female empowerment and anti-authoritarian resistance.
Photo: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Hulu
'Teen Vogue' Summit
In December, more than 500 young people gathered in Los Angeles for the inaugural Teen Vogue Summit: two days of activism and empowerment-theme talks from Hillary Clinton, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Women’s March organizer Paola Mendoza, poet and artist Cleo Wade, film director Ava Duvernay, and more. The event, which was designed and produced by 23 Stories, featured an eye-catching step-and-repeat that evoked buttons with inspiring, inclusive phrases such as "Women's rights are human rights" and "Love wins."
Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Teen Vogue
'Teen Vogue' Summit
Sponsor Urban Outfitters teamed up with Teen Vogue editors to create a series of empowering tote bags, shirts, hoodies, and buttons. The products were adorned with phrases such as "Resist the Gaslight" and "This is what a Teen Vogue reader looks like."
Photo: Andrew Noel for Teen Vogue/23 Stories
'Teen Vogue' Summit Meet-Ups
Leading up to the December summit, Teen Vogue hosted a series of meet-ups in five cities around the country. Each event had a video booth that asked attendees—most of whom were young women—to explain how they plan to change the world.
Photo: Andrew Noel for Teen Vogue/23 Stories
Pandora Sounds Like You: Summer
At the Pandora Sounds Like You: Summer concert, held in Los Angeles in July, feminine product brand Always created the Always Empowerment Wall. Guests were invited to write messages of women’s empowerment, then take photos to share on social. Always also activated in the women’s bathroom, placing custom decals on the mirrors and handing out samples.
Photo: Rachel Murray/Getty Images for Pandora
'Mother' Magazine's In Good Company Conference
Mother magazine’s inaugural In Good Company conference took place in September in San Francisco. Designed as a space for creative and entrepreneurial mothers to exchange ideas, collect information, and inspire each other, the event encouraged women to bring their children to the conference. Atlejee designer Suvi Silvanto brought her nine-month-old son, Alfons. “I don’t have to worry if my baby’s accepted or not. That makes it unusual,” Silvanto said. In addition, a mother’s lounge by Plum Organics gave breastfeeding or pumping mothers a place to relax and decompress. Toys by Shop Bitte were on hand to entertain the kids.
Photo: Kara Brodgesell
'Essence' Black Women in Hollywood Awards
Every year, Essence magazine teams up with event firm AgenC to produce the Black Women in Hollywood Awards. Intended to honor and celebrate Hollywood's most impactful African-American women, the award show is always held during Oscars week and televised on OWN. For the 10th anniversary event in 2017, the heavily-female crowd could recharge and re-glam at the L'Oreal Beauty Bar. Attendees sampled the Infallible Paints collection and left messages on the adjacent mirror about "why they are magic."
Photo: Line 8 Photography. All rights reserved.
U.S. Senate Visual Protest
In July 2016, more than 100 black women gathered in a replica of the U.S. Senate chamber at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston. The gathering served as a form of “visual protest” of the fact that—at the time—there were no black women in the United States Senate. (California’s Kamala Harris has since been elected.) The attendees of the political gathering, who were asked to “Take Your Seat” and elevate black women's voices, included then-Massachusetts first lady Diane Patrick; faith leader Mariama White Hammond; Higher Heights co-founders Glynda Carr and Kimberly Peeler-Allen; and Sarah-Ann Shaw, the first female African-American reporter to be televised in Boston.
Photo: Eric Haynes
'Galore's Girl Cult Festival
The inaugural Girl Cult festival, created by Galore magazine and Goldenvoice and held in Los Angeles in August, drew 1,500 young attendees for an all-female lineup of panelists and performers. Pre-event materials billed the event as a “festival for kickass women and allies who want to come together and create a new vision.” Organizers aimed to create an environment that was accepting of all races, religions, genders, and sexualities. One popular photo op aimed to make attendees (such as Justine Skye, pictured) feel like queens for the day. The area featured a throne and a tiger, with a colorful backdrop that listed sponsor names.
Photo: Prince Chenoa & Jacob Dekat/Galore
HBO's New Year, New You Week
To promote the second season of the Sarah Jessica Parker-led show Divorce in January, HBO partnered with lifestyle brands in New York to deliver fans a week of experiences focused on self-improvement in the new year. The network partnered with experiential marketing agency LeadDog Marketing Group to conceptualize the experiences, ensuring that each one was related to self-improvement and empowerment. For example, DreamDry salon offered guests complimentary blowouts inspired the Parker’s character, Frances.
Photo: Jane Kratochvil
Fiesta in Tulum
A team-up between Michelle Garibay Events and Florals by Isabelle, the Mexico-inspired table used Luxe’s colorful Ikat Marmalade linen and Amalfi napkins in Naranja.
Photo: Dina Douglass / Andrena Photography
Janelle Monáe Album Launch Party With Spotify
A bedroom set recreated Monáe's new video for the song "Pynk." Bon Puf provided a cotton candy machine.
Photo: Jerritt Clark
The gala had on-theme entertainment coordinated by Happening. Performers included a stilt walker "riding" a metallic, illuminated bird.
Photo: Courtesy of AccorHotels
Robin Hood Benefit
The Robin Hood Foundation celebrated its 30th anniversary May 14 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York. The benefit, which had a “Lights of New York” theme, had three-sided mini marquee centerpieces that offered messages of gratitude and celebrated the organization's anniversary. David Stark Design and Production designed the event.
Photo: Taylor McIntyre/BizBash
The museum's Bathroom Selfie installation let guests create the optical illusion that they were the mirror image of friends. Such head-turning shots appeal to both posters and followers, the latter of whom are more likely to do a double-take—and comment—on unorthodox shots within their streams.
Photo: Elkhan Pitman
