HIGHLIGHTS
Renowned fashion designer and Rhode Island School of Design alumna, Nicole Miller, was the guest of honor at the RISD Museum and Associates annual gala and fundraiser last spring in Providence, Rhode Island. The accompanying museum exhibit Cocktail Culture: Ritual and Invention in American Fashion 1920-1980 explored the popularity of the American cocktail hour through seven decades of fabulous fashion and iconic design. Guests enjoyed an array of hors d’oeuvres along with updated versions of classic cocktails, reinterpreted by the Blackstone Caterers’ team of master mixologists, while mingling among apparel, accessories, photos and art objects representing each iconic era in design. Miller was recognized for her more modern approach to cocktail fashion with her designs artfully juxtaposed against fashions, photos and objects of the past. From the deco jewelry designs of the 20s and 30s to the mid-century barware of the 50s to the bold sequined fashion of the 70’s disco era—the exhibit showcased some of the most innovative designs and designers that defined the times and how the cocktail hour shaped American culture.
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this page: 1 | Eclipse glassware from 1957 by American industrial designer Russel Wright. 2 | Blackstone Caterers’ master mixologists poured classic cocktails at a modern mirror top bar by Exquisite Events. 3 | Gala guests were greeted with a glass of bubbly before entering the RISD Museum exhibit. 4 | No cocktail hour is complete without an accompanying light bite. Toasted brioche with house-made sausage round and sage veloute by Blackstone Caterers. 5 | A mod 70’s screenprinted dress by iconic Italian fashion designer Emilio Pucci. 6 | Guests strolled the museum gallery enjoying cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, fashion sketches and photographs. Flowers provided by Stoneblossom Floral & Event Design. 7 | High fashion meets haute cuisine. Fried yucca gaufrette with grilled chili shrimp, chimichurri and grilled pineapple by Blackstone Caterers. opposite: The distinctly American cocktail hour inspired a glamorous style of dress that defined the distinct “social” time between day and evening. Autumn (foreground) a 1959 original, by famed designer Arnold Scaasi, is featured at the RISD Museum exhibit.
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VENDORS CATERING
Blackstone Caterers EVENT DÉCOR
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Exquisite Events FLORAL DESIGN
Stoneblossom Floral & Event Design RENTALS
Rentals Unlimited
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Exhibit Images: Photography by Erik Gould, courtesy of the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence.
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