One of the most important parts of achieving a dramatic transformation is covering walls and ceilings through draping. For the Celebrations party, the Armory was an amazing challenge because it was such a raw space. We needed to hide A LOT. Luckily, I worked with one of the best drapers in New York–Gio Gonzalez of Gio Draping Events.
One of the clever ideas we came up with was creating a tunnel entrance into the armory. Standing at the beginning of the tunnel, a person had no idea what they might find at the end. I loved that you could walk through this dark tunnel (draped with black cloth and illuminated by purple lighting) and end up inside the party space greeted by enormous trees and a long printing press/runway right in the middle of the room. Gio also helped me with the draping for for Ivanka Trump’s wedding. Here’s a picture below.
It’s fascinating that within the event industry, this is one of those specialties that can get overlooked. But don’t make that same mistake. Draping is an essential part of creating a transformation.
Do you use draping in your designs? Tell me about your biggest transformation.
I’m still recovering from the party (and the
Grammys), but I wanted to share a few more pictures of the decor:
Too busy to write a full post today, so here are more pictures of the set-up:
I’ll post more pictures of the party tomorrow!
It’s only one day before the big Celebration! I was very torn in choosing a space for the event–in these economical times I didn’t want to give a party that was too slick, so it was essential to find the right venue. I love the Armory because it’s a raw, empty space that sort of reminds me of a high school gym.
It’s been an interesting challenge transforming this space. For each new venue, there are specific elements I always focus on:
- The walls–how do I cover them?
- The ceiling–what am I going to hang from there?
- The floor–depending on the space, sometimes I think, “How am I going to deal with this?”
- The entrance
- The actual decor itself
It’s always good to have as much time as possible for setting up. This being New York city, we only have about 48 hours to set up the lighting, the flowers, the stage, projections, and so much more. My crew and I will definitely be pulling an all-nighter for this one.
I’ll have more pictures of the set-up process to show you tomorrow, but for now, tell me….
What was the most exciting transformation you have ever created or witnessed?
These are the “Angels” I had at my last party in the Rainbow Room
Choosing a venue, for me, is a very crucial moment. The choice of venue needs to complement and create the feeling of your event. In prior years I chose a beloved space in New York, The Rainbow Room, for all three of my book launches. Being from Panama originally, this space always represented the ultimate New York experience with incredible views of the city in Rockefeller Plaza. (Unfortunately this most cherished venue was closed because of our economy.)
Jennifer Holliday performing in the Rainbow Room
It’s been a challenge choosing a space this year. I wanted to find a space that fit at least 500 people, more rustic than I’ve chosen in the past but equally as charming. I found the perfect space in the 69th Regiment Armory—a national historic landmark. Victoria’s Secret recently used this space for their last fashion show.
I love this venue because it is open to the decor I have in mind. I don’t want to reveal too many details before the big day, but one idea I have is to set up an Art Exhibit of events I’ve designed, small vignettes created to walk you through multiple experiences. But we’ll talk more about that in a later post…
Jennifer Holliday and me dancing the night away.
What are your favorite venues in your city and why? I’d love to know for when I am working in your area.
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