I apologize for the brightness of the photograph, there was literally no shade on the back deck at Pico Loft.
K. Cooper Ray is the brilliant blogger behind the uber-successful fashion and society website Social Primer. Under his alter-ego S.P., he writes about manners, personal style, and the proper way to drink alcohol. His audience is primarily male college undergraduates between the ages of 18 and 24. His website is especially popular on fraternity websites and forums, where he is frequently quoted as the internet’s authority on male etiquette.
K. Cooper Ray abandoned the bi-coastal life he led as Vice President at Bottega Veneta and now calls Charleston, South Carolina, his home. He remains an important fixture on the New York and Los Angeles social scenes. He positively adores Charleston with its emphasis on proper decorum and how the majority of men there aren’t afraid to experiment with color. We had a lovely conversation about how manners still play an important role within Southern culture. Not many of you know this, but as a teenager in Fayetteville, Arkansas, I attended Junior Cotillion classes several times a year where I learned proper social etiquette and ballroom dancing.
Perhaps his most noteworthy corporate collaboration to date, K. Cooper Ray designed a line of exclusive bowties for Brooks Brothers under the Social Primer label. The bowties are legendary for selling out of stores quickly, so if you’re a man looking for a way to add great style to your wardrobe make sure to purchase them online here.
Follow K. Cooper Ray on Twitter, @SocialPrimer and like his website, Social Primer, on Facebook here.
Mimi Jung is the impossibly chic woman behind Brook And Lyn. Not only is she a personal style blogger, she also designs incredible jewelry using rope and geodes like the necklace pictured here. You can follow Mimi on Twitter, @BrookAndLyn, and be sure to ‘like’ her page on Facebook.
On another note Mimi’s handbag is the new Reed Krakoff tote bag, which you can purchase here. I was a tad bit skeptical at first, but Mr. Krakoff’s pieces are slowly winning me over.
Amy Creyer with fashion blogger friends Katie Schuppler, Taneisha Jordan, & Alia Rajput
Artrageous was the 2011 incarnation of Macy’s Glamorama. The show was themed around outrageous art. Famous artworks were prominently throughout different parts of the show. The most adorable children waltzed under Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night and break dancers flipped through the air beneath iconic works by Keith Haring. Glamorama is produced in conjunction with the Ronald McDonald House Charities, whose international network of homes provides room and board to families of hospitalized children undergoing serious health problems. Without the Ronald McDonald houses, tens of thousands of parents would be separated from their children while undergoing what is often the most traumatic period of their lives.
I kicked off the evening downstairs at the media rope line. I photographed Glamorama chairwoman Candace Jordan, who is one of my favorite people to run into at events. Her blog Candid Candace and Chicago Tribune society column, The Chicago Scene, is a “must read” for anyone interested in Chicago’s social life. Above Candace is pictured with 12-year-old Alisha Christlieb and her mom, who are this year’s Ambassador Family. Alisha was born with a number of birth defects and her parents were told that she would never be able to walk, eat on her own, or even breathe on her own. 12 years later, Alisha is a 4.0 straight “A” student. Candace became visibly emotional when Alisha told the media about how much Candace and all her efforts to promote the RMHC means to her and her family. It was a really touching moment to witness, to see how much Candace truly cares about making a difference through philanthropy and volunteering.
I listened in as another friend of mine, Marcus Riley, interviewed Glamorama musicians Far East Movement and headliner Cee Lo Green.
The runway portion of the evening was kicked off by Sonia Rykiel and followed by Jean Paul Gaultier, whose Parisian-themed presentations were immensely popular with the Chicago crowd. The audience spontaneously erupted in applause for one of Gaultier’s fur coats, which was classic Chicago. Armani Jeans, Marc Jacobs, and Karl Lagerfeld for Impulse (Macy’s) also presented their Fall 2011 collections at the fashion themed extravaganza.
After the performance at the Chicago Theater, guests headed across the
street to Macy’s on State Street’s seventh floor for the official
afterparty. I was delighted to run into my aunt, Laura Howlett, whose
company provides McDonalds with cleaning products in over 32 countries.
She was there with her client, a McDonalds senior executive, obviously! I kicked back and relaxed with my good friends Corri McFadden and Jena Gambaccini. We celebrated Corri’s new reality TV show and my Bing video with Jena!
street to Macy’s on State Street’s seventh floor for the official
afterparty. I was delighted to run into my aunt, Laura Howlett, whose
company provides McDonalds with cleaning products in over 32 countries.
She was there with her client, a McDonalds senior executive, obviously! I kicked back and relaxed with my good friends Corri McFadden and Jena Gambaccini. We celebrated Corri’s new reality TV show and my Bing video with Jena!
