The 46 Annual Brass Ring Luncheon and Fashion Show, featuring fashion brand Lafayette 148 New York, raised over $368,000.
Each year, The Guild of The Children’s Diabetes Foundation hosts a luncheon fashion show to raise money for patients at The Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes (BDC). The BDC provides care for 80% of children in Colorado with Type 1 diabetes. In addition to clinical services, the BDC conducts research focused on preventing and curing Type 1 diabetes (T1D).
As the fundraising arm for the BDC, the Children’s Diabetes Foundation (CDF), hopes to relieve some of the financial challenges caregivers face.
Amanda Miller has been CDF’s Director of Events and Sponsorships for 10 years, spearheading The Brass Ring Luncheon. She shares that she’s always had a passion for the nonprofit industry and first became involved in the diabetes community after her niece’s T1D diagnosis.
Miller is responsible for acquiring the luncheon’s featured designer each year. Previous luncheons have featured designers like Rebecca Minkoff and Marc Bouwer.
“We always strive to show our attendees a variety of designers over the years,” Miller said.
Lafayette 148 is a global lifestyle brand named after their address in SoHo. Founded in 1996, Lafayette 148 New York has delivered quality pieces with lasting construction and luxurious materials.
Their uncompromising quality molds with New York’s sensibility to create staples throughout their collections. The high-end brand said that they handle every detail from the sketch to the final design.
Brightly colored decor and T1D children advocates dubbed “Slover’s Heroes” greeted attendees as they entered the hall. They also had the opportunity to strut down the runway in front of the nearly 500 attendees.
Guests enjoyed an open bar, a delicious three-course lunch, auctions and a live painting performance by Pat Milbery. Silent auction items included luxurious gift baskets, tickets to Colorado events, hotel packages, and a three-day Winter Park trip.
Event Co-Chair Amie Morozs shared she was most excited about the private Mojito party for eight people at ‘Cuba Cuba.’
Morozs also expressed her excitement about Lafayette 148 New York’s Spring collection, “I love their classic, quality pieces.” She enjoys the whimsical nature of the collection and quintessential structured silhouettes.
“They have such quality fabrics and artisanship, pieces you will have in your closet for decades,” she said.
While Morozs’s self-proclaimed “fashion obsession” encouraged her to co-chair this year’s event, she also has loved ones with T1D.
“I’ve seen how impactful these events are; proceeds from the fashion show and auctions allow the BDC to make larger research advancements in a shorter period,” she said.
Guests were eager to donate and bid as the live auction kicked off with high energy, thanks to international champion auctioneer Haile Behr. Behr quickly and comedically auctioned off thousands of dollars in packages.
Live auction items included a seven night all-inclusive stay in Watercolor, Florida; a John Atencio Signature 18-karat yellow and white gold necklace; a two-night New York stay and behind-the-scenes tour at Lafayette 148 New York Fashion House; and a course tasting at Guard and Grace Denver alongside The Guild’s President Lori Finch and her husband Larry.
Lori Finch has also seen how impactful insulin, food and social resources help families affected by T1D.
“Our advocates come to these events and discuss what life with T1D looks like for them, expanding their community and increasing their confidence as they learn to manage their glucose levels,” she said. “My daughter was an advocate from age six until she became a young professional.”
Finch also discussed the impact of Jewels for Hope. Since its establishment, they have opened a storefront, expanded into handbags and donates about $50,000 a year.
Carol Hamer, co-chair of the Brass Ring Luncheon and 2024 Treasurer-Elect for The Guild, shared she’s acquired many incredible deals on lightly-loved jewelry over the years.
At the luncheon, Hamer’s accessories complimented her Lafayette 148 Delphinium blue shirtdress. The organic cotton poplin dress was inspired by a classic trench, finished with tie-front notch lapels nodding to the collection’s gardening apron inspiration.
Lafayette 148’s pieces consistently feature quality craftsmanship from artisans; however, the stitching on Hamer’s Dolman cap sleeves was rather remarkable.
Morozs accompanied Hamer’s elegance in her Lafayette 148 black silk-linen lantern sleeve dress. Princess seams at the front and back of the dress contoured the bodice and flared the silhouette. Additionally, petal-shaped shirring and an open scoop neckline gave a modern feminine finish.
After lunch and the auctions, guests were treated to Lafayette 148 New York’s Spring 2024 collection “The Gardens of New York.” The brand described this collection as a “Celebration of nature’s thriving presence within the urban environment of New York City.”
They took inspiration from the Brooklyn Grange Rooftop Farm, located across from their headquarters.
Creative Director, Emily Smith shared, “We have a unique perspective on New York City with the extraordinary farm growing against the backdrop of Manhattan’s iconic skyline. Change and bloom are daily reminders of the botanicals that inspire many creative pursuits.”
Smith joined Lafayette 148 New York in 2002 as a Design Assistant. Since then, her collaborative approach, technical skills and eye for perfection from the inside out propelled her rise to become the Creative Director and member of The Council of Fashion Designers of America.
The urban-natural dichotomy in the Spring 2024 collection is evident through eco-printing and jacquard botanical motifs. Patterns created using an eco-printing technique involve steaming flowers onto fabric to imprint them, resulting in overlapping, feminine, and abstract florals.
Delicate floral embroidery embodies the ruffled petals on blooming coxcomb flowers — signifying that Spring truly has arrived.
Macramé, referencing a garden basket, was meticulously crafted from organic cotton yarn into a maxi skirt and tank — each piece took days to complete. Intricate soutache was embroidered onto an airy mesh, giving a feminine dash to the short Dolman sleeves and midi hem. The intricate handiwork in these processes pays homage to the garden’s tactile and patient nature.
The versatile wardrobe in this collection also blends brand staples like precise tailoring, crisp poplins, and luxurious ultra-fine fabrics with urban agriculture elements. The collection featured a khaki linen-silk dress, a tailored pantsuit with an unlined and a deconstructed jacket for a relaxed, polished look. Another piece was a gorgeous finespun voile sweater, meticulously knitted in linear pleats and garment printed with color. This effect created the asymmetrical crossover panels that lend contouring and an undone purposeful impact.
A recycled poly satin plissé maxi dress intelligently reinterpreted modern versatility. Environmental efforts developed beautifully to cultivate the effortless drape and refined look. These elements, in addition to fringed accents and apron-inspired details, add an inherent ease, evoking organic beauty.
Accessories offered a Utilitarian undertone, like the Italian straw gardening hat or signature trapezoid-shaped tote with extra pockets. Their classic tote paired beautifully with a reversible car coat featuring two-tone Italian cotton and leather trim and pockets.
Needless to say, between the good cause, a luncheon and a fashion show — it was one for the books.
All photos by Annie French-Mack
Editors note 4/3: Article was published without saved edits, we have made the adjustments.