ON THE RED CARPET: Bethann Hardison

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Versailles '73 - 40th Anniversary Party Hosted by Coffee Bluffs Pictures and Totem Creative

Totem Creative in New York City was the scene of the 40th Anniversary Party chronicling the 1973 runway fashion show at the Palace of Versailles in Paris, France. Deborah Riley-Draper the director of the 2012 critically-acclaimed, multi-award winning documentary, Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution, hosted the evening along with Totem Creative.

Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution is a new documentary produced, written and directed by Deborah Riley-Draper and narrated by Cameron Silver tells the story of the November 28, 1973 Battle of Versailles (as it was coined by the news media in 1973) between five American designers, Halston, Stephen Burrows, Anne Klein, Oscar de la Renta, and Bill Blass, and the French fashion giants Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Cardin, and Emanuel

As a young woman in 1973 and someone who was strongly influenced by fashion since my early childhood, I remember reading about this story and being amazed and proud that African American models had made such a big impact on the world. I decided then and there that I wanted to be involved in fashion in some way or another. As a result I decided I wanted to start my own retail fashion business and as a matter of course it would have to have a French name. Nouveau Fashion Gallery was born out of that dream.

For more information, visit http://www.versailles73movie.com/.

Guests for the evening included many of the models who walked the runway that night at the Palace, Alva Chinn, Norma Jean Darden, Karen Bjornson, Nancy North, Barbara Jackson, and China Machado, as well as Designer Stephen Burrows and photographer Charles Tracy. Other celebrity guests included, Essence Magazine Editor-at-Large Mikki Taylor, Actor Dennis Christopher, former design assistant for Halston, Socialite Simone Levitt, a patron at Versailles in 1973 and Author of Skin Deep Barbara Summers, all of whom also appear in the film.

This is a must see film if you have not seen this critically acclaimed documentary. Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution recounts the legendary fashion show on November 28,1973 at the Chateau de Versailles that catapulted African American models and American ready-to-wear designers, Halston, Klein, Blass, De la Renta and Burrows onto the European stage.

Check out some of the pictures from the evenings celebration.

Versailles '73 Model China Machado, Ajak Deng

Versailles '73 Models Alva Chin and China Machado

Versailles '73 Model China Machado

Versailles '73 Models China Machado, Alva Chin, Norma Jean Darden and Director Deborah Riley Draper

Versailles '73 movie cast and Deborah Riley Draper

Deborah Riley Draper and Caralene Robinson

Friday, September 7, 2012

Atlanta Red Carpet Screening Versailles '73 American Runway Revolution

Tuesday, September 4, 2012, I attended the Red Carpet screening of the documentary film "Versailles '73: American Runway Revolution at the Mandarin Oriental in Atlanta, presented by Saks Fifth Avenue, Korbel, Chambord Vodka, Jim Ellis Porsche and The Atlantan Magazine. This was not my first time seeing the film as I first saw it at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2012 at the Palais de Festival. I must say that seeing it the second time around was just as enjoyable as the first. This film is a must see from new film director Deborah Riley Draper of Coffee Bluff Films, and narrated by Cameron Silver owner of LA hot spot Decades. The film tells the story of the runway battle that pitted French haute-couture designers against American designers Halston, Anne Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Bill Blass and Stephen Burrows. The runway show was held at the Palace of Versailles on November 28, 1973, and when it was over the Black American models Pat Cleveland, Billie Blair, Alva Chinn, Bethann Hardison, Jennifer Brice, Norma Jean Darden, Charlene Dash, Barbara Jackson, Armina Warsuma and Ramona Saunders who sashayed down the runway for the American designers became the toast of France and forever changed the way fashion was shown on the worlds runways. Myself being of age at that time, I can remember the event when it first hit the worldwide press in 1973. It brought back memories and the inspiration that these women instilled in me as a young black woman. I was inspired to venture into my own version of the fashion world by becoming a fashion consultant and eventually opening my own boutique, aptly named Nouveau Fashion Gallery.

The evening started with champagne and Hors d'oeuvres served in the courtyard and then guest were moved into the screening room reception area for a champagne toast to the director Deborah Riley Draper. The screening of the film followed to an enthusiastic audience who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the film. A Who's Who of Atlanta's elite was in attendance, hosted by Mikki Taylor, Cameron Silver and Judy Mauldin, as well as two of the models who participated at Versailles, Pat Cleveland and Jennifer Brice. Everyone was well dressed in cocktail dresses, haute-couture and pret-at-porter. I chose to wear one of my favorite dresses of all time, a vintage Halston cocktail dress that I have not worn since 1979 and stored in a plastic container for 33 years. Cameron Silver of Decades was wearing a vintage Brioni tuxedo jacket and recognized my dress as a Halston design. Pat Cleveland who was wearing a vintage Stephen Burrows gown also recognized the Halston design. As a matter of fact, she informed me that the dress I was wearing was designed by Halston for Elizabeth Taylor and that she used to have one as well. Was I floored or what? Meeting Pat Cleveland was a dream come true. Pat Cleveland was known for her unbelievably dizzying spins and twirls on the runway and became a runway legend.

This film is a must see and to all my followers I implore you go out and support this film when it comes to a theater near you. It is currently playing a limited engagement at the IFC theatre in New York City.