Prom Ideas

Of the 5,000 square feet Target utilized for the event, 2,600 square feet was dedicated to the gymnasium alone. Multiple clear vinyl tents were pieced together to make one large tent while external air-conditioning units were brought in to keep the space cool. The walls came down during the party, leaving only the roof—from which hung miles of streamers and one disco ball.

Colorful bunting and twinkle lights hung overhead, giving the space a prom-inspired look. Bunches of blue and white balloons were scattered throughout the space.

Betsey Johnson's prom-themed show included escorts, disco balls, and a rose-covered archway.

DiDa Ritz, who appeared on the reality TV show RuPaul's Drag Race, performed on a high school auditorium-inspired stage done up with rainbow-colored drapes, glittery stars, and oversize musical notes. Ritz, an alum of the theater company, "acted as the evening's enchanted and fierce host," Wells said.

As guests arrived at the St. Patrick's Old Cathedral school in SoHo, male attendees were pinned with boutonnières and the ladies, corsages, to get guests in the prom mindset.

Bloggers and beauty editors sat at long tables facing the stage, where a presentation was held. Press materials were contained in bright blue folders that resembled school supplies.

For a kickoff party for the Sundance Institute at the Brooklyn Academy of Music held in June, BAM's special events department went with a prom theme inspired by the opening-night screening of American Teen, a documentary following the lives of high school seniors. Planners decorated the lobby of the Howard Gilman Opera House and upstairs Lepercq Space with decorative archways, tassled streamers, and colorful balloons.

Alongside the runway, front-row guests at pink-cloth-covered tables sipped champagne from mini bottles.

At the event, guests could purchase corsages and boutonniers that were provided by Whole Foods.

To encourage social media activity, signage surrounded by festive streamer paper indicated the special "Kate Young Target" Wi-Fi account and Twitter and Instagram hashtag.

Samples of the product were displayed on cafeteria tables.

Guests posed in a prom-style photo station as part of Gen Art's new program with Clean & Clear skincare.

Along one wall of the Kate Young for Target pop-up shop was a chalkboard with a tongue-in-cheek interpretation of the brand's logo surrounded by pink, red, and white streamers.

Guests had skincare consultations at cosmetic counters that were set up on site. Along one wall, open lockers were dressed up with magazine clippings and product samples, and hanging banners advertised the new products.

Attendees could be photographed at the Prom Night vignette.

Massive pink and red balloons in star shapes and Target's bull's-eye logo filled one entire room of the venue en route to the main party in the gymnasium. Guests were encouraged to playfully pose with the balloons and have their photo taken. A total of 650 balloons were used inside the party.

The prom theme was underscored with brightly colored corsages, which guests pinned on to get into the spirit of the event. Jackie-O provided the flowers.

Couples competed to win the title of prom queen or prom king. "We had four different couples representing different genders, sexual orientations, styles, and decades," Wells said.

Right after check-in, a total of 20 models posed on a runway-cum-stage setup backed by a mixed media wall. Paired as prom-night-like couples, with each female model wearing a different Kate Young for Target dress, the lineup encouraged guests to vote for the best dressed couple by tweeting or instagramming pictures with the #KateYoungTarget hashtag.

Cling-on logos appeared on trophy cases.

In keeping with the night's prom theme, six large stanchions of white balloons—branded with Target logos and up lit with spotlights—were erected at the entrance to the party venue with dramatic effect. A custom canopy, covered in the "Kate Young Target" logo, was built at the base of the doorway. A total of 1,000 balloons were used outside.

Parts and Labour provided the buffet-style bites, which included miniature breakfast sandwiches on tiered silver trays.

Throughout the school venue, corkboards covered with the collection logo held mini Polaroids of the cast of models featured in the line's ad campaign.

Behind each of the two bars (one for champagne, the second for all other alcohol), Okamoto Studio etched Kate Young's name in playful block letters, punctuated by the Target bull's-eye logo. To give the display a bit of whimsy, cutouts in the thick slabs of ice held lopsided bottles as decor.

As waiters served champagne and drinks, they placed a specially made pink straw—a reproduction of Kate Young's signature—in each glass.

Much like the drink straws, pink neon signs directed guests to the different rooms of the party.