Carolina Herrera hosted a small luncheon and preview of the Fall 2014 Collection at the Carolina Herrera store, located at 954 Madison Avenue on Monday, April 28  for the Board of Director and friends of The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT. The lunch was a kick-off event to celebrate The Couture Council's Annual Luncheon, which will honor Ms. Herrera the the Artistry of Fashion Award on September 3, 2014.

Caroline Brown, President of Carolina Herrera welcomed the Couture Council members and spoke for a few minutes about the company's hope for the upcoming luncheon in September. Yaz Hernandez, Couture Council Board Chair spoke warmly about her friendship with Ms. Herrera and her happiness to honor a wonderful female Latin designer. Before guests enjoyed a small fashion show which included 36 looks showed from: Spring, Pre- Fall and Fall; Dr. Joyce Brown, President of FIT, expressed FIT’s excitement for the upcoming lunch and honoring such an remarkable designer. One of the most delicate details of the lunch was the desserts, guests were able you to enjoy sugar cookies that had each of the Archive Prints on them.
Luncheon guests included: Paola Bacchini Rosenshein, Caroline Brown, Dr. Joyce Brown, Alyson Cafiero, Suzanne Chute, Christina Davis, Jasmina Denner, Carole Divet Harting, Alexis Doyle, Karen Eckhoff, Allison Ecung, Fe Fendi, Sachiko Goodman, Dawne Marie Grannum, Celia Hegyi, Yaz Hernandez, Carolina Herrera, Sharon Hurowitz, Chiu Ti Jansen, Gemma Khang, Leonard King, Michèle Gerber Klein, Lisa Klein, Alexandra Kotur, Brenda Levin, Michellea Lin Greenip, Raquel Livia, Julie Macklowe (Luncheon Co-Chair), Patricia Mears, Alison Minton, Elizabeth Musmanno (Luncheon Co-Chair), Darcy Rigas, Didi Romley, Emilie Rubinfeld, Patricia Selden, Nancy Shaw, Valerie Steele (Director of the Museum at FIT), Barbara Tober, Jieun Wax, Patricia Wexler, Nina Whitman, and Yliana Yepez.

Looking ahead towards the Annual Luncheon in September: The Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology will honor Carolina Herrera with its 2014 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion on Wednesday, September 3, 2014, at a benefit luncheon at the David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City. As has become the tradition, this luncheon heralds the arrival of Fall Fashion Week.

This year’s luncheon chairs are Julie Macklowe and Elizabeth Musmanno.

Tickets for the Couture Council luncheon honoring Carolina Herrera are priced as follows:

- Fashion Icon Table at $50,000
- Haute Couture Table at $25,000
- Couture Table at $15,000
- Haute Couture Ticket at $2,500
- Couture Ticket at $1,500
To purchase luncheon tickets, please contact Ms. Vicki Guranowski at 212.217.4105, fax 212.594.9206, or email Victoria_Guranowski@fitnyc.edu

Past recipients of the Couture Council Award are Michael Kors (2013), Oscar de la Renta (2012), Valentino (2011), Karl Lagerfeld (2010), Dries Van Noten (2009), Isabel Toledo (2008), Alber Elbaz (2007), and Ralph Rucci (2006). In 2008, Giorgio Armani received a special award for Global Fashion Leadership. 

Images by Patrick McMullan Company

Wednesday April 23, 2014, El Museo gala honoree, designer Alejandro Ingelmo hosted a cocktail and shopping event at The Salomon Contemporary Gallery (525-531 West 26th Street) to celebrate El Museo’s 2014 Gala. Artist John Gordon Gauld’s current exhibition Interstellar Overdrive was highlighted during the event.
Guests enjoyed cocktails made of Findlandia Vodka and sipped on Juliette Rosé  (donated by Turquoiselife). The over 200 guests were able to shop for their new shoes with the guidance of Alejandro Ingelmo. Patrons of the museum and fashionistas can still can support the museum and get a great deal on a new pair of shoes– Alejandro is generously extending a discount of 10% on any purchase until May 21 and will donate 10% of the proceeds to El Museo 2014 Gala.           Just use promo code: ELMUSEO.

Gala Chair Cucu Diamantes toasted Alejandro and congratulated him on his new honor and El Museo’s new director Daniel Veneciano thanked The Salomon Contemporary Gallery for donating the event space and spoke for a few minutes about his exciting vision for the museum.

Guests included: Michael Atmore, Cheryl Anhava, Dawn Ambros, Candace Amos, Christina Anderson, Andrew Bradfield, George Benoliel, Mario Blalandi, Gabriel Rivera Barrazza, Emir Bahadir, Barrett Beard, Sam Broekman, Natalie Berman, David Bennatar, Catherine Petree-Biron & Laurent Biron, Cengriz Baskir, Natalie Bahadir, Natalie Balanza, Megan Balch, Jaime Barker, Tony Bechara (Board Chair), Kipton Cronkite, Scott Cooke, David Denino, Cucu Diamantes (Gala Chair) & Andres Levin (Co-Chair), Dimitri Falk, Justin Friedman, Christian Fieres, Allie Fernandez, Richard Gabriel, Samantha Greenspan, Christian Gonzales, Jen Gatien, John Gordon Gauld, Eleba Garcia, Christian Tonatiuh Gonzalez, Daniel Hyland, Joy Holm, Alex Hamer, William Haseltine & Maria Eugenia Maury (2014 honorees), Howard Hearst, Andrew Philip Heid, Treyson Hoang, Seth  Howard, Marcus John, Sabir Karimli, Carmen Konigsbach, Kate Krone,  Rachel Kim, Susan Kaufman, Barkley Kinkead, David Leung, Norma Lujan, Jasmine Lobe, Josh Lionardi, Rachel Lee,Rosa Lentigua, Christina Medina and Victor Medina San Andreas, Eduardo Marcus, Pratrick McGregor, Kelly Mahoney, Pearson McGee,Kelly McCabe, Laura Migdon,Marta Notenbaum, Luca Primack, Guyton Porter, Luka Primack, James Perez, Lauren Radin, Lauren Sanford, Hala Salomon and James Salomon, Catherine Smith, Abner Silva, Anna Simakova, Ted Stafford,Trish Schreiber, Stephanie Unter, Gregory Wein, Emma Winter, and Bryan Grey Yambo (BryanBoy).

El Museo del Barrio will hold its annual Gala on Wednesday, May 21 at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. Designer, Alejandro Ingelmo will be honored with the Artistic Achievement Award and Maria Eugenia Maury and Dr. William A. Haseltine will receive the Joseph A. Unanue Trustee Leadership Award.  The Gala Chair is CuCu Diamantes and the Gala Co-Chairs are Andrés Levin, Anita Durst, Lex Fenwick, and Cathy and Alex López Negrete.    

This year’s Honorary Committee members include: Pedro Almodóvar, Amy Astley, Marc Anthony, Carlos Campos, Cameron Diaz, Yaz Hernandez, Enrique Norten, Ms. Fernanda Capobianco and Mr. Francois Payard, Keith Pollock, Raphael Montañez Ortiz, Ray Smith, Mario Testino, and David Tisch.

Images and Event info credit: Owen Hoffman, Patrick McMullan Company.

Stay tuned for more info regarding the official launch parties in NYC and D.C.

In the meantime,

Enjoy xo.

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On June 4th, 2012, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) paid tribute to the winners and honorees of the 2012 CFDA Fashion Awards and commemorated the organization’s 50th anniversary at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center.

Saturday Night Live’s head writer and anchor Seth Meyers was the host for the evening. The evening’s Womenswear Designer of the Year honors went to Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen for The Row, presented by Jessica Chastain. The award for Menswear Designer of the Year was presented by Matt Bomer to Billy Reid. Reed Krakoff took home the Accessory Designer of the Year Award, presented by Jessica Paré. For the eleventh year in a row, the evening was generously underwritten by Swarovski.

For the first time in its history, the 2012 CFDA Fashion Awards will be digitally broadcast on Tuesday, June 5th, at noon, only on Style.com. The digital broadcast is sponsored by Lexus.


“This year’s awards were particularly special,” said CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg. “We honored the best talent working in American fashion today and celebrated CFDA’s 50th Anniversary and the impact of our family of designers.”

“A CFDA Fashion Award is one of the most coveted awards in our industry,” said CFDA CEO Steven Kolb. “This annual event is the one night we come together to celebrate our own.”

“Swarovski is thrilled to be a part of such an incredible evening honoring the best in American fashion and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the CFDA. We are proud to support all of the Swarovski Award nominees, and look forward to watching a brilliant future unfold for each of the winners,” said Nadja Swarovski, Member of the Executive Board, Swarovski.


Lily Collins presented the three Swarovski Awards, which honor and recognize emerging talent. The Swarovski Award for Womenswear was given to Joseph Altuzarra. The Swarovski Award for Menswear was presented to Phillip Lim. The Swarovski Award for Accessory Design went to Tabitha Simmons. Recipients in each category will receive generous financial support from the company as well as exposure to the company’s vast and innovative crystal products and applications for fashion.

The Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Tommy Hilfiger by Anna Wintour for his consistent, creative influence on fashion.

The Founder’s Award, established in memory of CFDA founder Eleanor Lambert was given to Andrew Rosen by Kenneth Cole.

The Media Award for excellence in journalism, originally created in honor of Eugenia Sheppard, was presented to digital journalists Scott Schuman and Garance Doré by Pharrell Williams.

Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons was recognized with this year’s International Award. Johnny Depp was given the Fashion Icon award. Both Kawakubo’s and Depp’s award were presented by director John Waters.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS:

The opening of the CFDA Fashion Awards featured a film directed by Zoe Cassavetes. The two-minute film paid tribute to the 50th anniversary of the CFDA and its members. The film was followed by a live retrospective of five decades of impactful clothes designed by CFDA members.

Steven Kolb read an email from Johnny Depp onstage which Kolb received just minutes before appearing on stage. The message was sent by Depp from the set of his film “The Lone Ranger” to thank the CFDA for the Fashion Icon award.

Seth Meyers appeared again mid-show to perform a second monologue dressed in the same Comme des Garçons men’s sheer lace dress and boxers worn by Marc Jacobs a month earlier at the Met gala.

The closing segment of the Awards included a career retrospective film of Tommy Hilfiger followed by a live performance by the acapella group, The Princeton Footnotes.

VIP GUESTS:

Some of the most well known names in the fashion and social worlds were in attendance including CFDA President Diane von Furstenberg, CFDA CEO Steven Kolb, Alexander Wang, Antonio Azzuolo, Arizona Muse, Ashley Olsen, Betsey Johnson, Billy Reid, Brian Atwood, Brad Goreski, Candice Swanepoel, Carine Roitfeld, Carolina Herrera, Catherine Malandrino, Chris Peters, Crystal Renn, Cynthia Rowley, David Neville, David Yurman, Deborah Lloyd, Derek Lam, Donna Karan, Doo-Ri Chung, Dree Hemingway, Eddie Borgo, Elettra Wiedemann, Erin Beatty, Erin Wasson, Francisco Costa, Gilles Mendel, Grace Coddington, Gregory Parkinson, Harley Viera-Newton, Hilary Rhoda, Irene Neuwirth, Italo Zucchelli, Jack McCollough, Jacquelyn Jablonski, Jason Wu, Jenna Lyons, Jessica Stam, Jill Stuart, Joan Smalls, Johan Lindeberg, John Bartlett, John Varvatos, John Whitledge, Johnson Hartig, Jonathan Adler, Joseph Altuzarra, Karen Elson, Kenneth Cole, Keren Craig, Kevin Carrigan, Lana Marks, Lazaro Hernandez, Lela Rose, Liu Wen, Lubov Azria, Marc Jacobs, Marcia Patmos, Marcus Wainwright, Maria Cornejo, Mary-Kate Olsen, Max Osterweis, Michael Kors, Monique Lhuillier, Monique Péan, Nadja Swarovski, Naeem Khan, Nicole Miller, Olivier Theyskens, Pamela Love, Patrik Ervell, Peter Som, Philip Crangi, Phillip Lim, Prabal Gurung, Rachel Roy, Rachel Zoe, Reed Krakoff, Robert Lee Morris, Shane Gabier, Simon Doonan, Simon Spurr, Sophie Théallet, Stacy Bendet-Eisner, Stan Herman, Steven Alan, Stuart Weitzman, Tabitha Simmons, Thom Browne, Tina Lutz, Todd Snyder, Tory Burch, Tracy Reese, Victoria Bartlett, Vivienne Tam, Yeohlee Teng, Yigal Azrouël, and Zac Posen.

They joined other notables from the world of entertainment, music, and sport, such as:
Alison Mosshart, Bernadette Peters, Busy Philipps, Dakota Fanning, Devon Aoki, Gretchen Mol, Heather Graham, Jack Huston, Jennifer Tilly, Julianne Hough, Kate Bosworth, Lauren Hutton, Mandy Moore, Olympia Scarry, Padma Lakshmi, Shaun White, Solange Knowles, Sophia Bush, St. Vincent (Annie Clark), Victor Cruz, and Zoe Saldana.

SCHOLARSHIPS / CFDA/LEXUS ECO-FASHION CHALLENGE:

As part of the CFDA’s commitment to design education, the following scholarships were awarded to the following students who were acknowledged from the stage by CFDA CEO Steven Kolb:

• Geoffrey Beene Design Scholarship: Eileen Pappas / Parsons The New School for Design
• Liz Claiborne Fashion Scholarship: Amanda Tran / Academy of Art University
• CFDA/Teen Vogue Scholarship, in partnership with Target: Jesse Rhoads / Academy of Art University
• Gilt Groupe All-Star Scholarship: Kieran Dallison / Fashion Institute of Technology

Also recognized by Kolb were the recipients of the CFDA/Lexus Eco-Fashion Challenge. They are John Bartlett, Marcia Patmos, and Johnson Hartig of Libertine.

The winners and honorees of the 2012 CFDA Fashion Awards:

Womenswear Designer of the Year
Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen for The Row

Menswear Designer of the Year
Billy Reid

Accessory Designer of the Year
Reed Krakoff

Swarovski Award for Womenswear
Joseph Altuzarra

Swarovski Award for Menswear
Phillip Lim

Swarovski Award for Accessory Design
Tabitha Simmons

Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award
Tommy Hilfiger

International Award
Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons

The Media Award, given in honor of Eugenia Sheppard
Scott Schuman and Garance Doré

The Founder’s Award, given in honor of CFDA Founder Eleanor Lambert
Andrew Rosen

Fashion Icon Award
Johnny Depp

Info/Press Release by KCD WorldWide

HQ photos by BFANYC

Additonal photos by Zimbio.com

The Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology honored Michael Kors with its 2013 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion on Wednesday, September 4, 2013, at a benefit luncheon at Lincoln Center’s David H. Koch Theater, New York City. As has become the tradition, this luncheon heralds the arrival of Fall Fashion Week.

The Couture Council Luncheon began with cocktails on the David H. Koch Theater terrace, which overlooked the Fashion Week tents. Guests were then ushered into the theater’s promenade for a three-course luncheon. Kamie Lightburn and Jieun Wax, the luncheon chairs, were the first speakers. They welcomed guests and introduced Dr. Valerie Steele, director of The Museum at FIT who said: “Every time you see one of Michael’s advertisements, you just want to BE that woman – so chic, so glamorous, jet-setting around the world in her sunglasses – and in the company of a handsome, glamorous man. So thank you, Michael, for all you do for the women of the world!”

Dr. Joyce Brown, president of FIT, announced the 2013 Michael Kors Scholarship winner, third-semester student Kim Nguyen, and thanked Michael Kors for his support of FIT. After the main course had been served, the chairman of the FIT Board of Trustees, Liz Peek, introduced Hilary Swank, who presented the Artistry of Fashion Award to Michael Kors, which was the highlight of the day. And a luncheon raffle prize was a stunning Asprey’s Life Ring of yellow and white gold rope. The Museum at FIT Couture Council Chairman, Yaz Hernandez, closed the event by thanking everyone for their support.

The luncheon’s menu began with a chilled sweet pea tarragon soup, topped with crispy shallots, buttery croutons, and radish. As a main course, guests enjoyed a Cobb salad with organic chicken, applewood smoked bacon, and Great Hill blue cheese. For dessert, ice cream sundaes and special FIT Couture Council cupcakes were served.


The Luncheon Chairs are Kamie Lightburn and Jieun Wax, and the Honorary Luncheon Chairs are Lauren duPont, Linda Fargo, Vanessa Getty, Patti Hansen, Iman, Karolína Kurková, Aerin Lauder, Sandra Lee, Crystal Lourd, Alexandra Richards,Theodora Richards, Renee Rockefeller, Jamie Tisch, Elisabeth von Thurn und Taxis,Elettra Wiedemann, and Anna Wintour.

Guests who attended the luncheon included: Amsale Aberra, Reem Acra, Marc Anthony, Iris Apfel, Nina Arianda, Fabiola Arias, Glenda Bailey, Dennis Basso, Cathie Black, Andrew Bolton, Hamish Bowles, Geoffrey Bradfield, Mario Buatta, Robin Burns-McNeill, Sharon Bush, Lisa Cashin, Kathryn Chenault, Barbara Cirkva, Suzi Cordish, Christina Davis, John Dempsey, Carole Divet Harting, Simon Doonan, Linda Fargo, Fe Fendi, Amy Fine Collins, Joele Frank, Ron Frasch, Nina Garcia, Michele Gerber Klein, Marjorie Gordon, Jamee Gregory, Audrey Gruss, Cornelia Guest, Agnes Gund, Sharon Handler Loeb, Patti Hansen, Amanda Hearst, Celia Hegyi, Yaz Hernandez, Judith Hoffman, Iman, Chiu-Ti Jansen, Kimberly Kassel, Mariana Kaufman, Eleanora Kennedy, Coco Kopelman, Karen LeFrak, Leonard Lauder, Alexandra Lebenthal, Larry Leeds, Heather Leeds, Petra Levin, Kamie Lightburn, Jaqui Lividini, Carol Mack, Julie Macklowe, Fern Mallis, Grace Meigher, B. Michael, Gillian Miniter, Natalie Morales, Josie Natori, Liz Peek, John Pomerantz, Ann Rapp, Alexandra Richards, Theodora Richards, Darcy Rigas, Muna Rihani al Nasser, Judith Ripka, Sheryl Schwartz, Pete Scotese, Jean Shafiroff, Nancy Shaw Michelle Smith, Martha Stewart, Hilary Swank, Diana Taylor, Jamie Tisch, Lizzie Tisch, Barbara Tober, Zang Toi, Stefano Tonchi, John Truex, Kay Unger, Bronson van Wyck, Robert Verdi, Jieun Wax, Anna Wintour, Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, Sarah Wolfe, Whitney Wolfe  and Prince Dimitri of Yugoslavia.

Photos by Jonathan Zeigler of Patrick McMullan Company

On Friday March 7, 2014, UN Women For Peace hosted their annual March in March awards luncheon and march. The awards luncheon was held in celebration of International Women's Day in the Delegates Dining Room at the UN, master of ceremonies was Uma Pemmaraju. UN Women for Peace honored Trudie Styler with the organization’s 2014 Humanitarian Award and Dina Habib Powell, President, Goldman Sachs Foundation accepted the 2014 Achievement Award on behalf of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women.

The Co-Chairs were Muna Rihani Al- Nasser, Deidre Imus and Sheikha Paula Al Sabah, and Cindy McCain. 

The program includes speeches from: opening remarks from UN Women For Peace’s Chair Muna Rihani Al-Nasser. Aldihna Sisic, Chief of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, spoke to luncheon guests about the importance of trust. Cindy McCain, spoke about the importance of ending violence against women. Ms. McCain serves as the Co-Chair of the Arizona Governor's task force on Human Trafficking and is committed to ending Human Trafficking, not only in Arizona but around the world. The luncheon’s closing remarks were given by Naomi Campbell who urged luncheon guests to march with her and the rest of Committee of Honor to bring awareness to End Violence Against Women.

Committee of Honor attendees included: Kim Cattrall, Naomi Campbell, Monique Coleman, Rosemary DiCarlo, Rula Jebreal, Lakskmi Puri, Kelly Rutherford, and Aldijana Sisic.

Other luncheon guests included: H.E. Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Carole Acunto, Keiko Aiko, Soad Al-Otaibi, Gabrielle Armand, Mariam Azzarm, Sahar Baassiri Salam, Paola Bacchini Rosenshein Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, Jean Christoph Bas, Miriam Belov, Robin Benitz Julia Benitz The Face's, Afiya Bennett, Kristen Boyer, Olivia Bransbourg, Tina Brown, Sharon Bush, Flavia Campi, Angie Ellen Canuel, Lilianna Cavendish, Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Aubrey Clark-Brown, H. E. Ms. Mirsada Colakokovic, Donna Corbat, Amb. Sandra Marisol Cruz de Flores, Julia D'Amico Rockefeller, Princess Say De Brancovan, Denise De Luca, Ann De Richemont, Robert and Jan Dilenschneider, Daniella Diserens, Jean-Pierre Diserens, Ambassador David Donoghue, Rema Dupont, Dee Dee Eustace, Barbara Evans Butler, Somers Farkas, Amb. Ahmed Farouk, Olivia Flatto, Dr. Allan Goodman, Susan K. Gutfreund, Dina Hibib Powell, Sharon Handler Loeb, Nicolla Hewitt, H.E. Mrs. Edita Hrdá, Lucia Hwong, Dr. Amalle Keita Daou, Ambassador Yusra Khan, Amb. Masood and Mrs. Zohra Masook, Kristen Lawson Jaffe, Francine LeFrak, H.E. Mr. Riyad H. Mansour, Ayo Megbope, Valbona Neritani, Adrian Neritani, Jennifer Pearlman, H.E. Mr. Desra Percaya, Mrs. Diana Mawarsari Percaya, Jean Shafiroff, Maria Snyder, Jana Stadler Jaffe, Stephanie Stokes, Anita Sumner, Monique Van Vooren, Emmanuella Van Hapsburg, Barbara Winston and May Zawaideh.

The over 500 supporters marched with luncheon guests from UN Headquarters to Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at 47th and first avenue. The march was led by Muna Rihani Al Nasser, Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, The Face's, Afiya Bennett, Kim Cattrall, Naomi Campbell, Monique Coleman, Rosemary DiCarlo, Rula Jebreal, Cindy McCain, Lakskmi Puri, Kelly Rutherford, Trudie Styler, and Aldijana Sisic.

The speakers at rally included: Muna Rihani Al-Nasser, Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, HR Nassir Al-Nasser, Lakshmi Puri, Rosemary DiCarlo, Mrs. McCain, Naomi Campbell, Kelly Rutherford, Trudie Styler, Rula Jebreal, Dr. Allan E. Goodman, and Midori Miyazki

About UN Women for Peace

UN Women for Peace, founded in 2008, under the patronage of H.E. Mrs. Ban Soon-taek, wife of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon, aims at promoting and advancing the goals of UN agencies whose missions are to provide opportunities for women through social, cultural, educational and empowerment programs while partaking in a global peace building process.

UN Women for Peace is focused on supporting and funding UN humanitarian programs for women in developing countries and countries in conflict. Since its inception, UN Women for Peace has sponsored scholarships to benefit underprivileged women to study at the University for Peace.  

From 2012, UN Women for Peace is proud to support the UN Women Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. The Trust Fund, established by the UN General Assembly in 1996, assists efforts to prevent violence against women and girls, provides services to those affected by violence and strengthens the implementation of laws and policies on violence against women and girls. The Trust Fund is particularly concerned with ending violence against women in countries of conflict, post-conflict and transitional set- tings. The Trust Fund also invests, through its partners, in long term solutions for a world free of violence. UN Women for Peace’s contributions to the Trust Fund directly fund these efforts.

For more information go to: www.unwomenforpeace.org

On Monday, February 24, 2014 Couture Council Board Member, Celia Hegyi, hosted an evening of cocktails at the Reed Krakoff store on Madison Avenue in New York City for Couture Council members.  Reed Krakoff led a conversation about his 20-year career in fashion, photography and the arts with Dr. Valerie Steele, Director of The Museum at FIT.

Guests Included: Alyson Cafiero, Christina Davis, Joele Frank, Yaz Hernandez, Chiu-Ti Jansen, 

Gemma Kahng, Robin Katz, Michele Gerber Klein, Alison Minton, Julie A. Orsini, Liz Peek, Sarah Perpich, Patricia Selden, Jean Shafiroff, and Peter Traub.

Reed Krakoff donated a percentage of sales from the event to The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT.

Looking ahead towards Fall Fashion Week 2014, The Couture Council of The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, will honor Carolina Herrera with its 2014 Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion on Wednesday, September 3, 2014, at a benefit luncheon at the David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City. As has become the tradition, this luncheon heralds the arrival of Fall Fashion Week.

About Reed Krakoff

Fashion designer, acclaimed photographer, passionate collector and patron of the arts, Reed Krakoff is Chief Creative Officer & President of the Reed Krakoff Brand. Drawing from over twenty years of experience designing for iconic American houses, Krakoff has elevated his New York-based label into a global luxury brand and has himself become internationally recognized for his contributions to the industries of fashion, art and design.

Graphic, sculptural and born from a unique vision of modern style, the Reed Krakoff Collection debuted in February 2010. The brand is marked by a new approach to design, where luxury and utility are interpreted across a full line of ready-to-wear, handbags and accessories. Krakoff’s mission is to redefine American sportswear, marrying function and ease with the dynamism and vitality of contemporary visual culture.

A recognized leader in the fashion industry, Krakoff currently sits on the board of his alma mater, the Parsons New School of Design in New York, where he mentors aspiring fashion and design students. From 2006 to 2010, he served as the vice president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). In 2012, Krakoff was named the Accessory Designer of the Year by the CFDA for his namesake collection, an honor previously bestowed to him in 2001 and 2004 for his work. He was most recently honored at the Style Awards as Accessories Designer of the Year 2012.

Krakoff’s photographic work has been exhibited in New York, Tokyo and Beijing, and featured in fashion, art and lifestyle publications around the world. He is the author of two books: Fighter: The Ultimate Fighters of the UFC and Women in Art: Figures of Influence. He has also contributed to books by renowned French sculptors Claude & Francois-Xavier Lalanne and Swiss designer Mattia Bonetti.

About The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT

The Couture Council of The Museum at FIT, created in 2004, is a membership group dedicated to supporting The Museum at FIT, a specialized museum of fashion.  The Couture Council helps make it possible for the museum to mount world-class exhibitions of fashion, to acquire important objects for its permanent collection, and to organize public programs, such as the annual fashion symposium.  The Couture Council accomplishes these goals through membership dues and by organizing fundraising events such as the annual Couture Council Awards Luncheon, which presents a chosen designer with the Couture Council Award for Artistry of Fashion.

Members of the Couture Council receive invitations to at least five special events a year, including behind-the-scenes tours of the museum’s collection and exhibitions, opening receptions, and visits to the ateliers of fashion designers in New York. Couture Council members are also the first to receive notice of the annual Couture Council Artistry of Fashion Award luncheon.

In addition, Couture Council members receive complimentary admittance to all museum educational programs, as well as to the annual fashion symposium, acknowledgments in FIT's annual report, in the exhibition galleries and brochures, and on the FIT website and exclusive opportunities to meet other patrons of the fashion arts.

Couture Council annual membership is $1,000 per individual or couple, or $350 for Young Associates (under the age of 35). Membership is tax deductible to the extent provided by law. Please make checks payable to the FIT Foundation. Mail checks to The Museum at FIT, attention: Couture Council, 227 West 27th Street, Director's Office, Room E304, New York, NY 10001-5992.

For more about The Couture Council visit http://www.fitnyc.edu/3525.asp

Designer Reem Acra hosted an exclusive afternoon of champagne and beautiful dresses at her fifth avenue boutique to benefit The Smithsonian’s Freer| Sackler Galleries. Guests enjoyed a private viewing of the designer's personal collection of traditional Arab world garments, and guests were able to see first hand Ms. Acra’s pre-fall 2014 collection.

The Host Committee for the event included: Muna Rihani Al-Nasser, Jacqueline Weld Drake, Patricia Kluge, Ann Nitze, Susan Pillsbury, Sana Sabbagh, Dame Jillian Sackler DBE, Barbara Tober and Smithsonian’s Freer| Sackler Galleries.
Guests included: Mona Aboelnaga, Reem Acra, Muna Rihani Al-Nasser, Judy Auchincloss, Mariam Azarm, Anait Bian, Catherine Petree-Biron, Noreen Buckfire, Karen Burke, Alyson Cafiero, Melba Ruffo di Calabria, Giosetta Capriati, Isabel Carden, Lila Castellaneta, Joan Hardy Clarke, Samia Faroukl, Montgomery Frazier, Nawel Gergi, Susan Gutfreund, Cathy Hardwick, Ingie Hassan, Kathleen Hearst, Marlene Herring, Ranya Idilby, Irene Moscahlaidis, Maxine Janes, Jaime Jimenez, Nina Junot, Michèle Gerber Klein, Meriel Lari, Benjamin Le Hay, Jonathan Marder, Sylvia and John Mazzola, Clara Menaldino, Ben Mindich, Katy Mundell, Ann Nitze, Pam Owens, Corinne Plumhoff, Lee Robinson, Kathryn Rotella, Joanna Roth, Sana Sabbagh, Judith Schlosser, Stephanie Stokes,  Barbara Tober, Evelyn Tompkins, Diana Tsao, Susan Zaro, and Katie Ziglar.

A percentage of everything that was sold during the event was generously donated to The Smithsonian’s Freer| Sackler Galleries

About The Freer and Sackler Galleries at The Smithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian’s Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery provide visitors with inspiring encounters with Asian art and culture, free of charge, 364 days a year. An integral part of the largest museum and research complex in the world, the Freer and Sackler Galleries are prominently located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The Freer Gallery of Art, which opened to the public in 1923, houses a world-renowned collection of art donated to the country by industrialist Charles Lang Freer. It includes exceptional works from India, China, Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia, and the Islamic world, in addition to a fine selection of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century American art. Its sister museum, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, was established in 1987 to house a gift of some one thousand works of Asian art bequeathed to the Smithsonian by Dr. Sackler. The Sackler’s collections have since expanded and now include important Indian paintings; Islamic manuscripts; Japanese prints from the eighteenth to the twentieth century; Chinese, Japanese, and Korean paintings; contemporary Chinese ceramics; and photography.

One staff serves both museums. In addition to presenting work from its collections, the Freer and Sackler operate the largest library devoted to Asian art in the United States; produce educational activities for the public, including the groundbreaking ImaginAsia family program; and offer a full roster of performances, films, and lectures to the public—free of charge.
About Designer, Reem Acra: Reem Acra’s designs epitomize global glamour by offering women her innate fashion sense, European style and understanding of what looks and feels beautiful. Interlaced with her sense of luxury, her regal designs are developed with a modern aesthetic. The ready-to-wear and bridal collections evoke an ethereal quality, which appeals to a discerning clientele, including personalities, royalty and style-setting women from all over the world. Her personal vintage archives, which she has been collecting since her childhood in the markets of Lebanon, span years and centuries of garments.

                                  WP Lavori in Corso unveils First North American Flagship Store in Brooklyn

WP Lavori in Corso, international fashion company, announced the opening of its first WP Store in North America today. Located in historic South Brooklyn in the Cobble Hill neighborhood, the 1700-foot flagship features an assortment of fashion and lifestyle products from around the globe and marks a significant step for the company’s presence in the U.S. market.  
Since its founding in 1982 and establishing the first WP Store in 1985, WP Lavori in Corso has established a distinct aesthetic and business model that is founded on reviving and nurturing great heritage brands. The WP Store Brooklyn brings its unique retail concept to North America and features a selection of the WP Lavori’s curated brands, including Woolrich John Rich & Bros., Baracuta, BD Baggies, and Blundstone, as well as third-party brands such as Engineered Garments, Nanamica, Hudson, Velva Sheen, Shinola and Barena.

“North America has always been an important market for us; many of our owned brands are rooted in American traditions and style,” said Cristina Calori, founder and president of WP Lavori in Corso, citing Woolrich and B.D. Baggies. “WP has always honored craftsmanship, tradition and history and we are thrilled to be opening our first North American flagship in Brooklyn, a community that also reflects these values.”
WP Store Brooklyn is located at 225 Smith Street, in the former Smith + Butler shop. The previous retailer, known for stocking both cutting-edge and iconic heritage brands, closed their doors late February, leaving WP Lavori Brooklyn to carry out their global influence and community presence as leading retail store.
       
Plans for the North American market include additional retail units and an international retail development in Europe and Asia, after the recent opening of the first WP Store in Seoul. A specific retail development for Woolrich John Rich & Bros for U.S. will be announced in the next months. More information about WP Lavori in Corso is available on WPLavori.com and WPstore.com
 
About WP Lavori in Corso

Based in Bologna, WP Lavori in Corso is an international heritage brand group, fashion brand licensee, distributor and retail group. It is the exclusive licensee and distributor of storied brands Woolrich John Rich & Bros (worldwide license), Woolrich Woolen Mills (worldwide license), Penn-Rich (Italian license), Baracuta (owned brand), BD Baggies (owned brand), Barbour (Italian distribution) and Blundstone (Italian distribution). WP Lavori has a chain of 23 stores worldwide: 14 WP Stores, 8 Woolrich Stores and 1 Barbour Store.  www.wplavori.com

Thanks, Rebecca!