A mix of ballet supporters and fashion mavens – gathered at “Bloomie’s” Chevy Chase store at 6:30 p.m. For drinks, hors d’oeuvres and a bit of shopping (with 20 percent extra taken off on already reduced prices) then settled in to enjoy the runway show in space carved out from the second floor Ladies Accessories Department. The models, a combination of company dancers, Jete Society and Women’s Committee members and their daughters (plus one stalwart son), and local media folk promenaded with panache for nearly an hour to hoots, whistles, and applause in the latest fall fashions. Desserts and more drinks followed after the sizeable cast took their bows and partied “backstage” with the audience and tech staff (dressers, hair stylists, sound and light personel, etc.) joining in.
Fashion stylist and event chairwoman Barbara McConaghy Johnson did a fantastic job utilizing Bloomingdale’s chic fashion collections – which tend to have more of a trendy flair to them compared to collections in other Chevy Chase shopping stores. The Style team from Toka Salon meanwhile did their best to make the ballet dancer, media mavens and socialites in the show even more gorgeous than they came. McConaghy Johnson is well-known for her strong style sense, as well as creative show conceptualization. For this show, she imagined give groups of local celebs/models.
Staci Capuano, Septime Webre and Barbara McConaghy Johnson. Photo by Tony Powell
The first group consisted of dancers from the Washington Ballet and had a “Papparazzi” theme, complete with the famous Lady Gaga song of the same name. The second group consisted of popular Media and socialites, including our own executive editor Michael Clements, who is no stranger to the runway. Others walking included: Kate Michael, Pamela Sorensen, Elaine Tyrell, Maureen Berk, Jennifer Streaks, and Ashley Taylor. All the looks followed a White and Black look.
The third group consisted of mothers, daughters and sons, including Lynda Erkelitian and Jessica Lager. The fourth group walked under the them of “Bright Holiday Nights” and included some sensational sequence and shine. The group included Tim and Shigeko Bork, Kay Kendall (looking absolutely adorable in her new bob hair cut), Grace Mai, Sara Lange, Erica Wigley, Tiffani Millien, and more. The final group included all the past chairwomen of the Ballet decked out in gorgeous evening gowns. And last, but certainly not least, Washington Life November 2009 issue cover boy and The Washington Ballet Artistic Director Septime Webre.
Here’s who was there: Event chairwomen Barbara McConagy Johnson and Staci Capuano, Evan and Cindi Jones, Paul Wharton, Linda Erkiletian, Bob and Mary Haft, Kate Michael, Pamela Sorenson, Ashley Taylor, Kay Kendall, Linda Awkard (and stalwart son, supermodel-in-the making Eddie Awkard), Carole Randolph, Heather Guay, Omar Popal, Philippe Cousteau, and Barbata Ayers.
Morgann Frederick and Zachary Hackstock . Photo by Tony Powell
Lynda Erkelitian and Jessica Lager. Photo by Tony Powell
Ashley Taylor. Photo by Tony Powell
Grace Mai. Photo by Tony Powell.
Kate Michael. Photo by Tony Powell.
