A high fashion show takes to the farm with this signature Hope Farms event, presented by Recipe for Success Foundation and Neiman Marcus. I had the pleasure of working alongside Gracie Cavnar, the brilliant and effervescent founder of Recipe for Success Foundation and Hope Farms, on the design and implementation of the inaugural Fashion in the Fields Event at Hope Farms.
I served in an event design and management role, an extension to my role as a venue consultant, working alongside the Hope Farms and Recipe for Success teams to establish Hope Farms as a premier wedding and event venue offering, complete with fresh farm food and a spectacular open air barn.
The unique fundraiser format, a brainchild of Gracie Cavnar, is a fabulous fall fashion show in a farm environment. We worked closely with Neiman Marcus to establish the runway experience which showcased both professional models as well as mothers, fathers and children who had donated to the cause. The unique family fashion fundraiser also featured a 200 person tent, where we hosted a Sunday brunch style experience catered by Barbara McKnight and her team at Culinaire Catering.
We had to strike a balance between allowing the Farm to continue to operate in it's primary capacity of providing Houston with farm fresh foods and education to elementary school children through Recipe for Success programs, on the benefits of a diverse vegetable diet, all while bringing in a full fashion show and brunch build out to a country farm, mud and all. We also struck a balance of providing ambient entertainment at every turn as the experience unfolded from fashion show to brunch seamlessly.
The event is now an annual staple to the Houston fashion and philanthropic scene, adding a splash to the Fall social season year after year.