On Sunday, October 4th, the foyer of the Columbus Museum of Art filled with visitors. Men and women chatted while sipping mimosas from the cocktail bar, eagerly waiting for the highly anticipated event to begin. The official start of Columbus Fashion Week is the High Fashion Tea- an afternoon English tea previewing the designers and events to come in the following week. Models posed statuesquely in elaborate gowns on the main staircase, and attendees had the option to bid on luxury items such as furs, jewelry, and portraiture by a local artist.
The guests then entered the sun soaked dining area, where a profusion of cucumber sandwiches, scones, chocolates, and other sweets were piled high next to the gorgeous floral arrangements that matched the model’s ornamental headdresses. Erica Lee, the IT committee co-chair, started introductions and introduced the designers to show in Columbus fashion week. Meanwhile, models circulated throughout the room, wearing exquisite designs pulled from the archives of the designers showing later in the week. In between introductions, several varieties of gourmet tea were served to the guests. Guests chatted over macarons, scones with jam and devonshire cream, and bite sized tarts.
The event concluded with the announcement of the lucky auction winners. As the dining area slowly cleared, guests spilled out onto the sunlit stairs outside the entrance of the museum. The Columbus Museum of Art and the Columbus Fashion Week team provided the fashion minded guests a few hours of great style, culture, and great conversation. What a enjoyably a la mode way to kick off Columbus fashion week!
