By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
August 12, 2004
Look out for the lady in red. Make that ladies in red. At this year’s Glamorama, 30 of fashion’s top designers will showcase their one-of-a-kind red gowns, which will be auctioned off later to benefit the Art Institute of Chicago (see sidebar for more information).
“Red is the color of life and symbolizes passion and fire,” says Glamorama executive fashion producer JoAnn Young. “We decided to go with the red theme after seeing [last year’s] Goddess exhibit [at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute gala in New York]. It got us excited and we knew that’s how we wanted to end this year’s [show].”
Glamorama contacted designers such as Stella McCartney, Zac Posen and Matthew Williamson and gave them one instruction: Design a red dress for the show’s finale.
“The creations the designers came up with are just beautiful,” Young says. “We have everything from Calvin Klein’s gorgeous minimalist dress to Matthew Williamson’s sexy creation. Red turned out to be a really fun, relevant theme.”
Williamson clearly was up to the challenge. A Glamorama favorite best known for his sexy gowns, the British designer tweaked a number he already had shown on the runways. Halle Berry wore a tie-dyed version of his short, tiered dress to the “Catwoman” premiere. Actress Kate Beckinsdale wore it in pink. But they pale in comparison to the striking red silk chiffon number he created for Glamorama.
“Women can wear this dress,” Williamson says. “The surprising thing is there are so many clothes out there that aren’t suitable for women. But this is a very fun, easy dress to wear. A model can look good in anything. If you’re able to design a dress that a normal woman can wear and feel and look good in, then you’ve done well.”
Glamorama — which made its Chicago debut in 1999 as Fash Bash — has become an annual staple in Chicago’s fashion circle and has raised more than $1 million over five years to benefit the Art Institute of Chicago. Whether Glamorama will continue after this year isn’t definite, after Field’s sale last month to St. Louis-based May Department Stores Co.
“We will always be evaluating on yearly basis our events, our promotions and adjusting them according to trends, our guests’ needs and those kinds of things,” said May spokeswoman Andrea Schwartz. “I would certainly not rule out that Glamorama, that this would be the last one.”
Singer Patti LaBelle will hold court as the stylish hostess of this year’s show.
“We’re very pleased with how people have accepted Glamorama,” Young says. “We had always hoped it would become an exciting event people looked forward to attending. At first we wondered whether we could attract enough people, and that hasn’t been a problem. And even getting celebrities to attend hasn’t been as huge an issue as it was during the first year or two when no one knew what it was.”
On Friday night, look for LaBelle to look fabulous in clothes suited to a diva. But it’s not all about the ladies. DJ Boy George will be debuting pieces from his upcoming line — B Rude.
“Most people are dressed by stylists today and there’s no more individuality,” Boy George says. “People comment about the way I dress, often negatively, and my answer always is the same — I wouldn’t be dressed like this if I cared what you thought.”
George apparently doesn’t care if he hurts you. Isn’t fashion grand?
Let’s face it: one of the things that makes Glamorama so much fun is guessing who’s going to be there. We already know Patti LaBelle is hosting the theatrical fashion extravaganza, the Commodores are singing and Boy George is deejaying. Former model Jerry Hall is set to make a special appearance and Jennifer Lopez will be there — sort of — via a videotaped message.
But if you’re lucky enough get a seat in the first few rows, you’ll be able to see what “X Men” beauty Kelly Hu looks like. Likewise for actresses Garcelle Beauvais and Kelly Carlson. Actor Kal Penn (“Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle”) has promised to wear something smashing. And Chicago will be well-represented with its very own Jeremy Piven, Bill Rancic and Ted Allen. Celebrity stylist Phillip Bloch and style expert Lloyd Boston also have agreed to attend.
Armani Collezioni
Lida Baday
Dana Buchman
Celine
Kenneth Cole
D&G Dolce & Gabbana
Oscar de la Renta
French Connection
Jean Paul Gaultier
Marc Jacobs
Donna Karan
Anne Klein
Calvin Klein
Michael Kors
L.A.M.B.
Laundry by Shelli Segal
Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche
Stella McCartney
Gene Meyer
Badgley Mischka
Miss Sixty
Missoni
Moschino Cheap & Chic
Zac Posen
Sonia Rykiel
St. John
Elie Tahari
Ellen Tracy
Matthew Williamson
