It was a grand finale Wednesday night for Recipe for Success' Dress for Dinner fundraising season with chairs Dr. Yvonne Cormier and daughter Claire Cormier Thielke joining forces with Neiman Marcus for a style fest led by Ken Downing, NM's popular fashion director.
The two-tiered evening began with the ever creative Downing presenting a smashing runway show of his fave fall trends. What does he love? Borrowing tailored details from menswear, deep blue which is the new neutral, photo prints, orange which is THE pop color for next season and leather leggings. You should wear them with everything! Likewise, tweedy, Chanel-style jackets. Ditch the pashmina in favor of the jacket.
As soon as the catwalk cleared, more than a few in the fashion savvy gathering of 100-plus lurched to the dressing rooms to try out the runway looks.
Premium ticket-holders, close to 30 in all, then joined the effervescent Downing for a seated dinner at which he earned kudos as a world-class raconteur. Dinner was prepared by Recipe for Success chef advisor Barbara McKnight of Catering by Culinaire with ingredients donated by Whole Foods.
As the evening kicked off, Recipe for Success founder Gracie Cavnar announced that stylist-to-the-social-swells Cerón will chair next season's series of Dress for Dinner fundraising events. Cavnar reports that the programs are already shaping up with an Oct. 23 evening with the Mark Badgley/ James Mishka team. (Fifty dollars gets you into the show at Saks Fifth Avenue. A $300 ticket means dinner with the charming duo.)
Applauding the upcoming season and savoring Wednesday night's finale were Neiman's GM Bob Devlin, Leisa Holland-Nelson, Karen and Roland Garcia, Ginni Mithoff, Nancy Golden, Lora and Dr. John Clemmons, Allyce and Michael Juenke, Dr. Kelly Coleman and past Dress for Dinner chairs Roz Pactor and Jeff Shell.
