On July 29, 2016 at 6:30p.m. The Fashion Group International® of Greater Washington, DC, Inc. will present The Art of Buying with Ken Downing, Fashion Director & Senior VP of Neiman Marcus.
FGIDC Regional Director Elaine Mensah will lead an intimate discussion on the ins and outs of buying in the fashion industry with Ken Downing, the famed tastemaker who oversees women’s and men’s trends for Neiman Marcus, manages a team of fashion editors in the company’s New York office, and provides a vision for over 200 merchants on the season’s trends.
“Mr. Downing is widely recognized as one of the most influential personalities in fashion. We are so honored to host him and bring his energy and multi-faceted knowledge of the fashion industry to our members and the Washington DC area fashion professionals interested in joining our organization,” said FGIDC Director Elaine Mensah.
Downing rose through the ranks of Neiman Marcus after starting with the company in 1990 in the Visual department of the Beverly Hills store. His experience covers the worlds of visual display, public relations, buying and trend analysis. Downing is a graduate of Seattle Central College and The Fashion Institute of Technology and has a degree in apparel design.
The event will be held at a location to be announced before the event on Friday, July 29, 2016 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm and is open to all at $25 for FGI Members and $40 for non-members. Downing has generously agreed to sit down with 4 FGI members & DC based designers for one-on-one discussion and collection review. Individuals interested in this opportunity can email rsvp@fgidc.org for more information on how to secure one of these coveted spots. For tickets and more information on The Art of Buying, visit fgidcxkendowning.eventbrite.
Haute Haus Agency hosts Rock the Runway DC, an original couture NY-Fashion Week preview of headlining designer Marchesa. Musical accompaniment to collections convey the aesthetic of a designer’s work in ways which presenting the collection on its own, cannot, so a live performance will be paired with the original runway production to artistically convey that creativity is style. Live music is now adding to the manifestation of runway; the shows of many major fashion houses now like concerts, its musicians their muse.
Guests will be presented with an original couture fashion show, live concert, Kendra Scott trunk show, two open bars, haute gift bags, and more. Proceeds benefit Music Unites, a 501(c)3 charity that supports music education around the world.
VIP guest: singer/songwriter Traci Braxton (Braxton Family Values) and hosts HeyFrase/FOX5 hosts Sarah Fraser and Samy K; live entertainment to be announced soon.
Chef Andrew Markert has a huge heart and loathes violence. Like many of us, he is frustrated and sickened by the endless string of gun-induced violence here in America. Chef Markert has observed these atrocities with grief, quietly supporting the advocacy that could help to stop them but unable to participate in the conversation. Not willing to remain silent any longer, he decided to do what the hospitality industry does best—invite your talented friends over to the restaurant and work together to raise money to go toward advocacy and awareness.
On Sunday July 31st, Beuchert’s will host “Forks up, Guns down” at its Capitol Hill location starting at 6:00pm. Joining Andrew will be Chef Anthony Lombardo (his final event in DC) from The Hamilton, Chef Jesse Miller of Bar Pilar,Chef Kyle Bailey of Sixth Engine, and Celebrity Chef Rock Harper. To complement the amazing cuisine, Chef Markert invited top beverage folks including Tyler Hudgens (The Dabney), Nate Mann (Room 11), and Chas Jefferson (Cotton & Reed) to name a few. Cocktails featuring Charm City Mead, Whistle Pig, and other stellar brands will be available all night. Chefs and mixos will have various stations in the open kitchen and behind the bar. Gourmet Symphony will be on sight to provide musical entertainment throughout the evening, as well.
Tickets will be $50 and can be purchased through Eventbrite at www.eventbrite.com/e/forks-up-guns-down-tickets-26573045695. The entire ticket price will be donated to The Coalition to Stop Gin Violence. Founded in 1974, the CSVG states on their website “we seek to secure freedom from gun violence through research, strategic engagement and effective policy advocacy.”
In addition to that donation, all servers at Beuchert’s that evening will be volunteering their time. Any tips given to servers or bartenders will be donated to Everytown for Gun Safety. Everytown says it is “…a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities.” They seek to achieve this using “Voices of the Movement” which include Moms, Mayors, and Survivors.
Chef Markert hopes you will join him and his friends for this outstanding event on July 31st.
- Jenn Gustetic, Small Business Innovation Research Program Executive at NASA
- Mike Piotnek, District Manager at Boston Beer Company
- Dan Milano, Managing Editor, Social Media at Circa
- Dan Zak, Reporter at the Washington Post
Environmental Film Festival Presents Not Without Us
What: Special Year-round Festival Screening of Not Without Us (USA, 2016, 90
min.), followed by discussion with filmmaker Mark Decena
When: Thursday, August 18, 7:00 p.m.
Where: E Street Cinema, 555 11 th St., NW
Who: Presented by the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital
How: Tickets, $10. Reservations required. Purchase at http://notwithoutus.bpt.me/
Film Description: Not Without Us immerses us in the moving, personal journeys of
seven grassroots activists from around the world as they prepare and head to Paris
to challenge the 21st session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference
(COP21) that took place in Paris last December. Building on the momentum of the
2014 People’s Climate March in New York, the Paris mobilizations were slated to be
civil societies’ largest and most urgent show of force yet. The deal made there was
acclaimed as a historic success, but the film examines the type of agreement that
was adopted and the questions that still remain: Can the COP21 Agreement stop
climate change? If it can’t, is it up to us? In English and French with English subtitles.
Directed by Mark Decena.
Join Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) on September 1 to party with the primates and make a toast to conservation at our Grapes with the Apes event. Uncork and unwind with wine tastings from local and national wineries after hours at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo.
The Zoo’s six western lowland gorillas and six orangutans will be staying up late as guests mix and mingle at the Great Ape House. Attendees will enjoy animal demonstrations, live music, culinary delights sold from popular DC food trucks, a one-of-a-kind sale of animal art, and a chance to win zoo-themed prizes and gifts.
General admission and VIP tickets are available for purchase. General admission tickets include unlimited wine tastings, a commemorative wine glass, animal encounters, and the opportunity to purchase wine to take home and enjoy later. General admission tickets are $50 for FONZ members and $65 for nonmembers. VIP tickets include the general admission benefits plus a private wine and hors d’oeuvres happy hour at the Think Tank exhibit, access to the VIP-only “Crush Pad,” delicious tastings from DC restaurants, exclusive animal encounters, and a take-home gift. VIP tickets are $115 for FONZ members and $150 for nonmembers. Tickets are available now at www.FONZ.org/grapes
Grapes with the Apes is sponsored by Uber and WRQX – mix107.3.
This event is for adults 21 years of age and older. Children, infants, strollers, and infant carriers are not permitted. Grapes with the Apes will be held rain or shine.
On Saturday, September 17 from 8pm – 10pm, Shinola (1631 14th St NW) will partner with The Social Club Grooming Company to host an in-store ShopTalk event
Please note that though this event is public, an RSVP email to RSVP_DC@shinola.com
The Junior League of Washington (JLW) will host a panel of distinguished political and business leaders at its second annual Women’s Leadership Luncheon to discuss their experiences in leadership and share advice for women who hope to learn and grow into leadership positions.
“This annual luncheon is a celebration of women who are raising the bar in their fields and breaking glass ceilings across the country,” JLW President Elizabeth Keys said. “We are honored to have an opportunity to learn from and to be motivated by these fearless leaders. Empowering and encouraging women to take on leadership roles and help shape the future of our community is a core part of the Junior League of Washington’s mission, and this esteemed panel is the perfect representation of the leaders we are working to develop.”
Women’s Leadership Luncheon
WHEN: Tuesday, September 20, 2016
12:00 – 1:30 p.m. EDT
WHERE: Renaissance Washington, DC Downtown Hotel
999 Ninth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
WHO: The Honorable Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA),
U.S. House of Representatives
Lieutenant Colonel Julia Coxen, Battalion Commander
and Jumpmaster, U.S. Army
Nicole Hassoun, Head Distiller, Joseph A. Magnus & Co.
Nancy Dorn, Vice President of Government Relations, GE
Gillian Turner, Senior Advisor, Jones Group International;
Fox News Contributor (Moderator)
This event is a part of the Junior League of Washington’s annual Holiday Shops fundraiser. Funds raised support the JLW’s ongoing efforts to improve the Washington, DC, community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers and annual grants awarded to local nonprofits. For more information on Holiday Shops, please visit www.jlw.org/HolidayShops.