On a cold winter weeknight, itโs more than likely that at least a few guests will be tempted to slip out and head home early. So how did Julie Flynn of the Toronto Public Library Foundation ensure that people stayed until the end of the evening at the third annual Book Lover's Ball on Thursday?
Flynn worked with Chad Brincheski, director of event marketing at Solutions With Impact, to create an entertainment-filled evening, capped off with a novel-inspired fashion show in the Fairmont Royal Yorkโs Canadian Room. โWith a weeknight event, people want to be home and in bed by 11 p.m.,โ Brincheski said, โso packing this much entertainment value into the show is tough.โ But the pair managed to keep the guestsโmany of whom were dressed as their favourite literary charactersโat the party through the end of the fashion show.โWeโre really excited this year because itโs really our main event,โ Flynn said of the highly anticipated fashion show, which featured designs inspired by eight books, including flowing pink gowns created by Fashion Crimes in honour of Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann, and leather ensembles created by Dom Rebel Threads in honour of Slash, written by the Guns Nโ Roses guitarist.
โWe developed the theme for them in terms of the Canadian fashion designer book-inspired fashion show,โ Brincheski said. โWe didnโt want it to be a boring library event. The books come to life on stage. Itโs very cool. Itโs sexy, and you wouldnโt think that of a library event.โ
Now in its third year, the library benefit moved from its original home at the Liberty Grand to the Royal York to take advantage of the larger event space, Flynn said. In past years the fashion show was staged in a separate space, and last year an after-party was held following the show. โBut nobody really stayed. People want to get home on a Thursday night,โ she said.
The evening kicked off with a reception featuring a selection of hors dโoeuvres prepared by celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy, including cold smoked Georgian Bay whitefish on red fife blini and wild-caught B.C. sockeye salmon gravlax with salmon mousse. The dinner, prepared by Royal York chef David Garcelon, included a three-course meal inspired by Anita Stewartโs Canada: the Food, the Recipes, the Stories. A maritime seafood chowder was followed by a main course of tenderloin of Ontario beef and a dessert of Laurentian maple pouding chomeur with Canadian wild ginger sorbet.
Flynn worked with Chad Brincheski, director of event marketing at Solutions With Impact, to create an entertainment-filled evening, capped off with a novel-inspired fashion show in the Fairmont Royal Yorkโs Canadian Room. โWith a weeknight event, people want to be home and in bed by 11 p.m.,โ Brincheski said, โso packing this much entertainment value into the show is tough.โ But the pair managed to keep the guestsโmany of whom were dressed as their favourite literary charactersโat the party through the end of the fashion show.โWeโre really excited this year because itโs really our main event,โ Flynn said of the highly anticipated fashion show, which featured designs inspired by eight books, including flowing pink gowns created by Fashion Crimes in honour of Pinkalicious by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann, and leather ensembles created by Dom Rebel Threads in honour of Slash, written by the Guns Nโ Roses guitarist.
โWe developed the theme for them in terms of the Canadian fashion designer book-inspired fashion show,โ Brincheski said. โWe didnโt want it to be a boring library event. The books come to life on stage. Itโs very cool. Itโs sexy, and you wouldnโt think that of a library event.โ
Now in its third year, the library benefit moved from its original home at the Liberty Grand to the Royal York to take advantage of the larger event space, Flynn said. In past years the fashion show was staged in a separate space, and last year an after-party was held following the show. โBut nobody really stayed. People want to get home on a Thursday night,โ she said.
The evening kicked off with a reception featuring a selection of hors dโoeuvres prepared by celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy, including cold smoked Georgian Bay whitefish on red fife blini and wild-caught B.C. sockeye salmon gravlax with salmon mousse. The dinner, prepared by Royal York chef David Garcelon, included a three-course meal inspired by Anita Stewartโs Canada: the Food, the Recipes, the Stories. A maritime seafood chowder was followed by a main course of tenderloin of Ontario beef and a dessert of Laurentian maple pouding chomeur with Canadian wild ginger sorbet.
Photo: Henry Lin
Photo: George Pimental
Photo: George Pimental
Photo: George Pimental
Photo: Matthew Roberts
Photo: Matthew Roberts
Photo: George Pimental