- November 24, 2024
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Gorgeous gowns and handsome suits were aplenty Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Designing Women Boutique Annual Gala: “An Evening in the Enchanted Garden.”
The night’s festivities began with drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the lawn of Michael’s on the Bay at Selby Gardens, where guests socialized and watched the sunset over Sarasota Bay. Attendees then adjourned to the great room for a performance by Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe. The WBBT performers gave a musical introduction for the 16 fashion show models as they made their grand entrance.
Instead of a runway, the fashion show took place on the square dance floor in the center of the room, so organizers got creative and set up small platforms for the models to display their outfits — all of which were from Designing Women Boutique. After the show, guests dined on braised short ribs with winter-root mashed potato, haricots verts, roasted baby carrots and roasted red peppers before getting the chance to bid on several live-auction items.
After the auction was another performance by the Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe, this time featuring classics such as “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder. The performers kept everyone’s toes tapping into the night as guests got their turn on the dance floor.
Michael Klauber was all smiles as he watched guests enjoy his new venue, which has never hosted an event of this size. His one-word description was Sponsorship Chair Ida Zito’s favorite: “magical.”