"Good to see you again!" celebrity designer Zac Posen said as we were ushered in for our seven-minute interview. We, of course, had never met. No matter. The guy whose frock fans include Oprah Winfrey, Anna Kendrick, Reese Witherspoon and Glenn Close was the featured artist at Thursday's Fine Art + Fashion event at Neiman Marcus, benefiting the National Black Arts Festival. We didn't mind his pretending we were old pals.
"Fashion should be fun. I'm having fun," said Posen, chic in claret crushed velvet, a single white violet in his lapel. "In America, you can build a career off your creativity and your idea. Our natural resources are our brain power and our youth."
A study of Japanese kimonos informed the dramatic collection he showed Thursday.
"I love clothing that loves women, that supports them," he said.
And the crowd loved Posen back.
"Can I take him home?" quipped Su Longman, who with her husband, Al Longman, co-chaired the event with Merry and Chris Carlos. Honorary chairs were Charlene Crusoe-Ingram and Earnest Ingram and honored as chair emeritus was the late Sandra Anderson Baccus, a longtime NBAF supporter.
"We celebrate her for the star she was," Neiman Marcus general manager Mark Fillion said. "I don't know anyone who didn't love Sandra. We all miss her. She has left an indelible mark on NBAF and the entire Atlanta philanthropic community."
American Cancer Society luncheon a cause to celebrate
"DJ!"
JaQuitta Williams bounced onto the stage and demanded a beat. Strutting to the end of the catwalk, the CBS Atlanta News anchor showed off her moves and then took the microphone to address the crowd at the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead for Monday's Hope Fashion Show, benefiting the American Cancer Society Auxiliary. The 21st annual event was chaired by Susan Canoll and Melody Saputo and featured a Belk fashion show where models included cancer survivors Eileen Cushma, Jimmy and Kimmie Durham, Karen Eggers, Steve Howell, Blossom Jackson, Diana Potts, Sandra Strickland, Celeste Smalls Sumpter and Leslieann Tichelman.
Williams is celebrating nearly five years of being cancer-free.
"Every day that I get up I dance, I laugh, I sing," she said. "Live on purpose. Love on purpose. Say what you want to say and do it now, because life is short. Hopefully cancer will never come into your life but for me, it was once of the best things. It showed me how to live. "
Make a splash for a cause
The Marcus Autism Center's benefit, "Big Splash 2012: Great Gatsby," is planned for 6:30 p.m. March 24 at the Georgia Aquarium. Co-chaired by Kristy and Michael Robison, the event will honor longtime supporters Helen and Jimmy Carlos. Tickets are $300 each. See www.marcus.org/bigsplash.org, call 404-785-9402 or e-mail jeanne.hastings@choa.org for information and reservations.
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