Flower Power

Can I tell you...about the Tulips and Pansies show last May 21st. A few months ago, super stylist, trend forecaster and photographer Kate Schelter asked me if I would be interested in collaborating with a floral designer for a floral fashion show to raise money for Village Care of New York, a non profit organization providing healthcare for people living with HIV & Aids. Anything that involves raising money for HIV and Aids plus using my creativity is always an easy one for me. Past designers who collaborated were Marc Jacobs, Pat Fields, Carolina Herrera, etc. This year I would join Diane Von Furstenburg, Erin Fetherston, Lela Rose, Heatherette, Libertine, Michael Volbracht for Bill Blass, Edward Wilkinson for Lafayette 148 among others to be paired with floral designers for the show.
I was paired with the talented Stephanie Gueldner of award winning Studio Artiflora to create a headress. We decided we wanted something totally outrageous and something that involved a handbag somehow. Since I wasn't a clothing designer, we had more of a challenge than most of the other partnerships. I suggested to make a really huge straw basket to be worn on the head full of flowers spilling over the top. The model would balance the headress on her/ his head on the runway. We conjured a "Bombay fantasy" theme. Colorful sari with gold thread, piles of gold bangles, gold shimmer on the skin and even gold sequins on the straw bag. The flowers would be the most exotic Stephanie could find.
I even took casting into my own hands when I attended a party 2 days before the show and I met our model Victoria. I walked up to him and asked him if he was free Monday early evening and if he could save my life in form of walking a runway show. Victoria is tall( 6'2"), dark (black) and gorgeous! He was already wearing eyeliner so the fact that MAC was doing the make up for the show, made it impossible for him to say no.
I must say Victoria was a total ham and was a dream to work with. A bundle of energy and enthusiasm is needed when balancing a 4 foot basket on top of one's head, and that's just the basket! The flowers made the total height to about 6 feet tall. It was staggering and utterly over the top, quite literally.
Lady Bunny was the DJ for the event and she kept the crowd swinging and swaying to familiar 80's favorites. Style Network's James Aquiar was the emcee of the evening, co-chaired by Paper Magazine's Mickey Boardman and Kate Schelter.
The event was held at Bridgewaters, in South Street Seaport. The judges included Glenn O'Brian and Ann Magnuson. Our team didn't win but it didn't matter. We had a lot of fun doing it and it was all for a good cause. The event raised over $125,000 by the end of the evening. I always say that, " Every little bit goes a long way."