“This is an incubator for culture in Boston,” said Boldfacers.com founder and editor in chief Lisa Pierpont of the Beehive, the South End restaurant-bar-live music club that played host to a Fashion Week kick-off party Thursday night. “And fashion is something we’re passionate about, so it made sense for us to partner with them.”
Boldfacers.com and the Beehive joined forces with Shag Salon, Naz Kupelian Salon, and Beacon Hill clothing retailer Uncle Pete's to celebrate Boston Fashion Week a day before its official launch with a cocktail party and informal fashion show for 400 guests.
Image Unlimited produced the event with the Beehive and also promoted it with a heavy focus on the web and social networking, drawing a youngish crowd interested in fashion. Models—provided by and styled by Shag—wore edgy clothing from Beacon Hill boutique Uncle Pete’s and dramatic makeup by Naz Kupelian Salon. A traditional runway was nixed in favor of having the models wander among the guests, who were sipping cocktails and sampling passed bites from the Beehive.
The non-traditional vibe was indicative of Boston Fashion Week itself, which highlights local designers in a variety of city and suburban locales at runway shows, presentations, parties, and exhibits. The night also celebrated the Boston Fashion Trail, a group of local restaurants, spas, and retailers offering special deals and incentives to draw in fashion-week consumers and draw further focus to the shows.
Jazz music from the Amy Bowles Trio and on-theme cocktails like the Stiletto and the En Vogue being served at the bar kept the evening going.