Macy’s big annual AIDS fund-raiser came to Los Angeles with a new format and a new name this year: a stage show known as Macy's Passport Presents Glamorama at the Orpheum Theatre. Macy's previously had two fashion events: Passport in L.A. and San Francisco, and Glamorama in Minneapolis and Chicago. This year, organizers combined the two into a single format. The change resulted in the move from a runway at Santa Monica Airport to a stage in the Orpheum.
Macy's Mike Gansmoe and Larry Hashbarger produced the show. "The Orpheum is a beautiful, ornate proscenium theater that was built in the mid-1920s. Both the City of Los Angeles and Steve Needleman, owner of the theater, were tremendous partners in making this move possible," said Gansmoe, vice president of special productions.
The show brought in designers, celebrities, models, and entertainers for the splashy presentation—against a backdrop of lighting, video, and visual effects—to raise funds and awareness for H.I.V./AIDS organizations. Featured labels included Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Tracy Reese, Just Cavalli, and Marc by Marc Jacobs.
Along Came Mary Productions handled design and production and helped in the kitchen for the after-party at the California Market Center, where food was provided by Macy's Culinary Council: Cat Cora, Marcus Samuelsson, and Nancy Silverton.
All told, the event brought in about the same number of people as last year, around 2,000. Macy's donated $1 million to the cause in the name of the event.
