It was a big deal in little Vancouver. The Nordstrom gala opening proved the store means business with its third location in Canada.
The buzzed-about gala opening was about as glam as it gets in our rugged, outdoorsy town, with Nordstrom showing it can run a world-class show and even attract a few names while doing it (models Coco Rocha, Amber Valletta and Karolina Kurkov, actresses Diana Bang and Camilla Belle, and actor Zachary Quinto).
But best of all, the sold-out fashion show and gala (underwritten entirely by Nordstrom) raised $420,000 for local charities: BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, BC Women’s Hospital and Health Center Foundation, Covenant House Vancouver, and the Vancouver Art Gallery. More than 2,200 guests attended, with co-chairs Kathleen S. Bartels, Jillian Harris, Jill Krop, Judy Leung, Jason Sarai and Tamara Taggart among the crowd. Tickets for the fashion show and gala were $300 each; $150 for the gala alone.
The event began with a cocktail reception at the VAG, moved downstairs to the runway show, which featured a massive set of stairs (those poor models) with a stunning screened backdrop of rushing waves.
After the fashion show, attendees sauntered across the street for an in-store gala and shopping event, where the cocktails and canapés flowed. It was a bit surreal to shop in the midst of a party – complete with live band – but nice to get an early peek at the new digs.
My only purchase of the night … a Natori bra, of course.
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