Events

The three-night event began with a grand opening and media preview on Wednesday.

Local fashion designers created looks inspired by Don Julio tequila bottles. The clothing was on display all three nights.

At the bars, specialty Don Julio drinks included a ginger margarita, a tequila-based Manhattan, and a pomegranate cocktail.

Black Market Caviar, a clothing and silk-screen shop, sent designers to create branded T-shirts on-site.

On Thursday, chef Patricio Sandoval of Mercadito Chicago created a three-course dinner for 60 V.I.P. guests. The menu included braised-pork tacos, tilapia with tequila-pickled red onion, adobo-marinated chicken breast, and tequila-soaked bread pudding for dessert.

For the dinner, planners had to set up a catering tent in the studio's parking lot. Tablescapes and Entertaining Company provided linens, and Event Creative placed agave plants on the tables.

On Friday night, indie electronica band Shiny Toy Guns performed. Event Creative set up the stage immediately after the dinner on Thursday night, working till early Friday morning to complete the construction.

The concert presented planners with a series of logistical challenges, including setting up a green room, finding a fog machine, and renting all of the musical equipment.

A live runway show also took place on Friday night. During the show, Ford models showcased looks from the designers-in-residence at Macy's Chicago Fashion Incubator.

Male models sported looks from local menswear designer Killian Gui.

To add to the ambiance, the producers used traditional woven blankets, tinted glass lanterns, rustic wooden tables, and cacti in terracotta pots.