by Alexandra Katz
From pink dresses and matching heels to ties and hats, CRAVE downtown was a wash of blushing hues. Amidst the food, throbbing music and endless signature grapefruit cocktails at the Pink Carpet Event fashion and the celebration of women fused together. Five designers created sui generis looks that only had one bond, the family of color.
A first-time collaboration for the Minnesota Affiliate of Susan G. Komen and lavish downtown restaurant CRAVE, it was night displaying devotion to finding a cure. Designers Emma Berg, Caroline Hayden, Joynoëlle, Kerry Riley’s Needle and Black, Max Lohrbach and Gina Marie Vintage all advocated for the cause with bold, statement-making looks. Indeed, the ladies of PRIMAchic who styled the show divulged, “They wanted the dresses to speak for themselves.”
Not the typical runway show, the models were placed on glimmering pedestals around the salon. Invoking statuesque poses the girls fully showcased every look. Berg indulged her animal instincts by pairing ostrich feathers with a pale pink mini dress. Hayden choose a more dramatic approach by draping crimson velvet over a floor length gown with an asymmetrical bump at the hip. Joynoëlle sewed rows and rows of artfully frayed satin ribbon together to create her taupe gown. Falling just over the heels, the textured fabric and bow tie closures added a whimsical flair to the look. Needle and Black opted for a structured, one-shoulder, form-fitted brilliantly fuchsia number. Lohrbach mixed a ruffle-skirted, floral hand-painted skirt with a neon pink, sheer tuxedo blouse and a matching hand-painted bowtie. The simple and understated Gina Marie Vintage focused on the color of the night and nothing else for a no-frills dress that featured a smooth yet not too daring neckline and a longer hem in the back. Caroline Hayden made an attempt at drama with a one-shouldered velour gown that featured a drape-hipped detail that seemed to merge Grace Kelly with Gaga.
Look by Joynoelle
Look by Caroline Hayden
Look by Max Lohrbach
Look by Emma Berg
Look by Gina Marie Vintage
Look by Needle and Black
With every different designer came a different perspective, not only on the clothes, but their connection to the cause. Some had family members that inspired the pieces (read our preview piece by Chelsea Streich for more), while others were simply motivated by what the evening stood for. What brought everyone together, besides pink, was the message behind the color.
All photos: Alexandra Katz
