A Night Out: Walk This Way Fashion Show

>> See the photo slideshow from the night here! 

What: Walk This Way fashion show.

Where: Liaison Hotel rooftop.

When: October 6, 6 to 10 PM.

Ticket prices: $125 regular admission, $300 VIP ticket.

Who: Washington’s glitterati were out in full force to fight domestic violence. NBC4 sports anchor Lindsay Czarniak, wearing a strapless pink dress and a pearl-illusion necklace, emceed the evening from atop a water-surrounded runway. Redskins running back Clinton Portis cohosted and brought out fellow players Jason Campbell, Gary Clark, Santana Moss, DeAngelo Hall, Albert Haynesworth, and Stephon Heyer to walk the runway. DC United kickers Bryan Namoff, Santino Quaranta, Devon McTavish, and Ben Olsen were seen tossing back drinks. R&B Singer Ginuwine, a ’90s favorite, was out promoting a new album, and K Street Kate blogger Kate Michael was also seen milling about.

Why: To support Becky’s Fund and serve as a kickoff for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Founder Becky Lee’s organization works to combat abuse through educational programs and awareness events and provides assistance to domestic-violence victims.

The scene: The event began with drinks, schmoozing, and a chance to peruse the silent-auction items. Surrounded by black wicker chaise longues, a glowing red bar, and hundreds of pretty smokey-eyed and hair-gelled young things, it was easy to forget we hadn’t left Washington for Miami.

Guests lingered around the pool, throwing out hugs and kisses to friends as they arrived and waiting for the main event—an athlete-packed fashion show. Redskins and DC United players, clad in smartly cut Eric Finn Custom Clothiers garb, walked to a soundtrack of catcalls and applause from the audience.

Female models—clad in Eric Finn dress shirts and Club Monaco pieces—followed with costume touches that made statements against domestic violence. One woman, confidently adorned in a cocktail dress, turned around to reveal a mock “bruise” covering her back, while another simulated a fight with her male partner, and, in a metaphorical “freeing” of the abuse victim, host Becky Lee unbound a series of ties and fabric scraps constricting a model’s movement and mouth during the grand finale.

Various dance performances—including a Joy of Motion homage to Michael Jackson and several fire-twirlers, preceded the fashion show, and the after-party was held at Current Lounge. Did we mention the runway was built right into a full pool of water?

Fashion: Urban cocktail chic at its trendiest. Guests went all out for the event, which meant one-shoulder cocktail dresses, voluminous bubble skirts and sleeves, designer stilettos, and plenty of jewelry for the girls. Men stuck with blazers and jeans or expensive suits without ties. Standouts included attendees L. Kyrana Robertson’s vintage YSL-inspired ensemble, Tiffany Fennoy’s tiered-skirt-and-blazer combo, and Antonio Matarazzo’s Gucci-accented jeans and jacket (see pictures).

Food and drink: The occasional black-lacquered tray of hors d’oeuvres (beef sliders, mini pork sandwiches with curry slaw, mushroom tarts, and lobster rolls) were brought around. But partygoers stuck to a mostly liquid diet—the open bar, featuring Absolut cocktails (Absolut was a sponsor of the event), wine, and beer, was consistently crowded. Champagne flutes were passed to VIP-ticket holders, and Smartwater (another sponsor) was there to rehydrate guests as they left. Dessert included cups of hot cocoa and miniature cupcakes.

Ratings
Boldface names: 3.75 out of 5.
Swankiness: 4 out of 5.
Food and drink: 3 out of 5.
Overall exclusivity: 3.5 out of 5.

Total score: 14.25 out of 20.

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Sarah Zlotnick

Sarah is the Editor-in-Chief of Washingtonian Bride & Groom, and writes about weddings, fashion, and shopping. Her work has also appeared in Refinery29, Bethesda Magazine, and Washington City Paper, among others. She is a Georgetown University graduate, lives in Columbia Heights, and you can find her on Instagram at @washbridegroom and @sarahzlot.