Fashion Fête Celebrates Philadelphia in Style: A Century of Fashion at Michener Art Museum

The Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa, celebrated the the exhibition Philadelphia in Style: A Century of Fashion from the Robert & Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, Drexel University Saturday night at a special fundraiser gala Fashion Fête. (The exhibit runs through June 26, 2016)

Ralph Rucci, Rosina Rucci (Ralph’s sister) , Lisa Tremper Hanover, director and CEO of the Michener Art Museum and  Emanuel Rucci, (Ralph’s dad)

The exhibit celebrates the sartorial legacy of clothing with a display of dresses, wedding gowns, shoes, hats and other items spanning a century of high fashion highlighting fashion designers and retailers that influenced fashion choices in the mid-Atlantic region as well as Philadelphia retailers Nan Duskin, John Wanamaker’s and Strawbrige and Clothier. At the Fashion Fête, Philadelphia born fashion designer Ralph Rucci was honored for his contributions to the fashion world.

Dennis Helf and Mary Helf, senior counsel at Fox Rothschild, LLP, has been a member of the Corporate Business Partner Program for more than 20 years and served recently as membership chair of the Advisory Board for Michener Museum.

180 guests from the philanthropic, and landscape design, architecture and art worlds attended the event, where they enjoyed an hour long cocktail party on the tented terrace, and enjoyed a fashion show with designs from the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator. Dinner and a short program was held inside the Edgar N. Putman Event Pavilion, which was beautifully decorated by Catering By Design, who also prepared the food. Production of the event and the entertainment, was provided by Mole Street Productions.

Jovan O’Conner, fashion designer, Tara Higgins, fashion designer,  Elissa Bloom, executive director of the Fashion Incubator, and Conrad Booker, fashion designer,

Bette PFundt and Nelson Pfundt

During the cocktail hour there was a fashion show presented from the Philadelphia Fashion Incubator.

Diana Vincent, a renowned Jeweler designer, Vincent Polisano and Dorothy Galanos

Madhavi Parekh, Ryan Putman, Bhara Parekh and Samantha Schoenberg

During dinner guests heard remarks from Gregory Church, President, Board of Trustees James A. Michener Art Museum, Lisa Tremper Hanover, Director & Ceo of the James Michener Art Museum. Kirsten M. Jensen, PH.D. and Chief Curator of the James A. Michener Art Museum, as well as Clare Sauro, curator of the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, Drexel University.

On the windows are designs by Ralph Rucci’s RR331 Fall/Winter 2016 collection, which really moved Rucci when he walked into the room.

Amy Welch and Maureen Church, co-chairs of Fashion Fête

Bridget Wingert and Joe Wingert

John A. Fry, President of Drexel University, and Cara Fry.

Jack Staub and Renny Reynolds, celebrated floral designer and event planner. Not only is that suit amazing, but he’s created some of the most amazing events New York City has seen.

Dr. Vail P. Garvin,  President & CEO Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce and Ron Unterberger

Anne Callahan and Charles Croce, executive director of the Philadelphia History Museum.

I am in talks with them to donate a few of my Philly artifacts to the museum. Maybe I’ll have a section and it will be titled, HughE the hoarder knew these things would be of value to someone someday – LOL

Philadelphia in Style: A Century of Fashion from the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, Drexel University Co-curated by Kirsten M. Jensen, Ph.D., Gerry & Marguerite Lenfest Chief Curator, Louise Feder, Assistant Curator, and Clare Sauro, Curator of Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection, Drexel University

The exhibition is co-organized with the Robert and Penny Fox Historic Costume Collection (FHCC) at Drexel University. Documenting over four centuries of costume history, the FHCC holds more than 14,000 fashionable garments, accessories and other related materials and is a vital part of the design curriculum at the Westphal College of Media Arts and Design.

Philadelphia in Style: A Century of Fashion is generously supported by Visit Bucks County and Gregory and Maureen Church.