On a cold winter weeknight, it’s 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 York’s Canadian Room. “With a weeknight event, people want to be home and in bed by 11 p.m.,” Brincheski said, “so packing this much entertainment value into the show is tough.” But the pair managed to keep the guests—many of whom were dressed as their favourite literary characters—at the party through the end of the fashion show.“We’re really excited this year because it’s really our main event,” 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 N’ Roses guitarist.
“We developed the theme for them in terms of the Canadian fashion designer book-inspired fashion show,” Brincheski said. “We didn’t want it to be a boring library event. The books come to life on stage. It’s very cool. It’s sexy, and you wouldn’t think that of a library event.”
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. “But nobody really stayed. People want to get home on a Thursday night,” she said.
The evening kicked off with a reception featuring a selection of hors d’oeuvres 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 Stewart’s 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 York’s Canadian Room. “With a weeknight event, people want to be home and in bed by 11 p.m.,” Brincheski said, “so packing this much entertainment value into the show is tough.” But the pair managed to keep the guests—many of whom were dressed as their favourite literary characters—at the party through the end of the fashion show.“We’re really excited this year because it’s really our main event,” 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 N’ Roses guitarist.
“We developed the theme for them in terms of the Canadian fashion designer book-inspired fashion show,” Brincheski said. “We didn’t want it to be a boring library event. The books come to life on stage. It’s very cool. It’s sexy, and you wouldn’t think that of a library event.”
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. “But nobody really stayed. People want to get home on a Thursday night,” she said.
The evening kicked off with a reception featuring a selection of hors d’oeuvres 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 Stewart’s 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.
Dining tables surrounded the runway.
Photo: Henry Lin
Fashion Crimes outfitted models for the segment honouring Pinkalicious, by Victoria and Elizabeth Kann.
Photo: George Pimental
Designer Sujoy Gosh paid tribute to Anna Godbersen's Luxe.
Photo: George Pimental
A performer dressed as Slash and models dressed in designs courtesy of Dom Rebel Threads paid tribute to the guitarist's new book.
Photo: George Pimental
Organizers of the annual Book Lover's Ball staged a fashion show in the dining room for the first time this year.
Photo: Matthew Roberts
Celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy prepared cold smoked Georgian Bay whitefish on red fife blinis at a food station during the reception.
Photo: Matthew Roberts
Models dressed in fashions from Deréon walked the runway with Mike Holmes of HGTV.
Photo: George Pimental
