Part lounge party, part dinner, part trade show, and completely duty-free. Jassi Lekach of the J Group was contacted by DFA to make a branded event seem unobtrusively fun, but ran into some trouble early."The show started at 7 p.m., but we didn't even secure the ballroom until 2 p.m. that day, and then we had to wait for several meetings to end before we could start setting up. We pieced together the event in just a couple of hours and were very pleased with the result," Lekach said.
That result was a 60-foot silver Christian Lacroix runway, lined with three clothed mannequins, acting as the walkway between the DFA-logo-lit and orchid-lined entrance to the Marriott's Harbor Beach Resort & Spa's Caribbean Ballroom and a Greenseid Catering area where DJ Sean spun tranquil lounge music. Between the two were four square-shaped lounges—Hard Candy and Perry Ellis Fragrances to the right, Urban Decay Cosmetics and Animale Fragrances to the left—all decorated to reflect their brands, and each housing
a separate bar.
Hard Candy's lounge, primarily pink, featured a beige carpet with pink couches and white tables. Atop those tables were white votive candles sitting next to a group of tall, cylindrical jelly bean-filled glass containers topped with carnation balls. To both sides of this lounge's bar stood brown shelves lined with Hard Candy products, giving the room a youthful appeal. On the other side of the runway sat the primarily black Urban Decay lounge, which brought an astral vibe with it. Glass cocktail tables topped by square plant holders complemented the black-and-white couches and cushions and the intergalactic-looking curtains with colorful starbursts painted onto them.
Neighboring this lounge was Animale Fragrances, which had a jungle feel. The walls provided a leafy green background that contrasted with the zebra-striped couches and bar, wicker floors, brown tabletop trays, and blue-tinted see-through glass vases. Across the runway from this lounge was the minimal, white Perry Ellis lounge, whose main focal points were three massive hanging banners (each featuring a different semiclothed male model), several shaped floral arrangements (a mesh of white calla lilies, succulents, phalaenopsis orchids, and wire grass), and a handful of carefully placed five-foot-tall, light brown- and white-streaked lamps.
Greenseid Catering prepared two carving stations offering roast breast of turkey served with either corned beef or a rack of lamb to the 250 guests. They also provided a bit of Italy, with bow-tie and ziti pastas topped by pesto and marinara sauces, and a taste of sushi with tuna, salmon, and California rolls. A handful of cold displays went international, with both a Middle Eastern market display of hummus, tabbouleh, and baba ghanoush, and a Nova Scotia salmon and caviar display. The crowd's favorite, Las Ramblas Paella, mixed spicy beef sausage and chicken with sautéed ingredients and served them on saffron rice. Frida Getzel contributed more than a dozen desserts, ranging from petits fours to handmade chocolate truffles to chocolate and berry cakes.
—Albert del Toral
Photos: Matt Hornton of the Artist Group (all pics, except the runway one)
Guests walked a 60-foot silver runway flanked by Christian Lecroix-fashioned mannequins to connect to the four lounges and the food area in the back.
The Urban Decay lounge featured black-and-white furniture and intergalactic-looking walls.
The Animale lounge took guests into the wild with wicker floors and zebra-striped furniture.
A simplistic white lounge with three hanging banners and several shaped orchids defined Perry Ellis' role this night.
Bunched floral arrangements swooped out of porcelain vases.
With its heart-shaped stem and glass container, this phalaenopsis orchid mixed with wire grass to produce a classy floral arrangement that gave guests of the Perry Ellis lounge something to talk about.
Accented with pink couches, a pink spotlight, and pink-hued tables and drapes, the Hard Candy lounge attracted a lot of female attention.
Multicolored carnation balls in elongated glass vases provided some normalcy to the otherwise pink-drenched Hard Candy lounge.
Hard Candy products were on display at two corners of the brand's lounge.
