About 300 people attended the sold-out Fashion in Bloom: Cocktails + Living Couture event on Thursday, June 27, to support Rockford Art Museum (RAM), located inside the Riverfront Museum Park at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois. Fashion in Bloom is a major fundraiser for RAM that takes place at the conclusion of the museum’s three-day event Art in Bloom. Sponsors, partners and in-kind donors helped make the second annual Fashion in Bloom an overwhelming success. Proceeds help support Rockford Art Museum exhibitions and related educational programming throughout the year.
Emceed by Bridget Finn and Nancy Kaney, the evening event featured food organized by Diane Jaroch Cain with heavy hors d’oeuvres and cash bar from Giovanni’s, decadent desserts by Jane Weis Proudfoot, and signature fashion show—with community volunteers modeling fashions from b jones that were accessorized with fresh florals by Event Floral, Poska, O’Fallon’s Fine Flowers and Kishwaukee College; hair by Beth Ann Weis, Marisa Black and Nicole McGlinn; and makeup by Arch: Betsy Branca Hughes, Mallory Cronin, Brinley Prater, Hayley Sahlstrom, and Julie Scaduto. Music and lights by Luxe Productions; photography by Igor Kasyanyuk and Matt Sandberg, and videography by Chelsea Capriola. Raffle items were provided by Arch, b jones, Event Floral, O’Fallon’s Fine Flowers, Rockford Art Museum, Beth Ann Weis, and Lisa Lindman who donated a hand-painted, custom Off-White bag by brand creator and Louis Vuitton artistic director (and Rockford native) Virgil Abloh.
Models and fashion show were coordinated by Kaitlyn Gdowski and included Sayward Bennett, Rachel Carlson, Ali Chance, Anita Church, Kris Clark, Grace Colleen, Kailley Lindman Federighi, Hailey Holder, Celeste Holevas, Julie Humpal, Carrie Johnson, Michaela Johnson, Miranda Johnson, Tina Kaatz, Elizabeth Kasyanyuk, Kristina Kelly, Shannon Kelly, Gracie Kreissler, Linda Kreissler, Jennifer Langworthy, Hannah Linhart, Laney Linhart, Kathleen Meade, Zakera Nanabawa, Cindi Noakes, Natalie Richards, Dayna Schultz, Tiggi Sorenson, Olivia Stiles, Hannah Swanson, Olivia Zucchi, with event hosts William Archer, Austen Black, Brent Hughes, Jacob Logli, Mitch Lotko, Jake Paterson, and Matthew Richards.
Co-chaired by Jennifer Ahlstrand and Jordan Calgaro, Fashion in Bloom: Cocktails + Living Couture was sponsored by Lon + Dick Behr, Midland Wealth Management, Title Underwriters; Sharyn + Joe Castrogiovanni, Gail + Hugh Funderburg, Lisa + Mark Lindman, Ringland-Johnson Construction, Joan Stonecipher; A. Tanner Design, Judy Boccignone, Anita + Fred Church; and ABG Bag; with in-kind support from the Ahlstrand Family Foundation, Event Floral, Igor Kasyanyuk and Matt Sandberg.
Fashion in Bloom helped conclude the museum’s fourth annual Art in Bloom, a three-day event that featured an imaginative display of live floral sculptures by local designers, based on the current exhibition Chance Encounter: Julie Heffernan and Shelly Mosma (through Sept. 29 at RAM).
Art in Bloom featured designs by Anderson Japanese Gardens (Catherine Marsh); Broadway Florist (Christina Kot); Jordan Calgaro; Event Floral (Kim Dazey, Diane Didier-Adolphson, Erin Stoffregen, Nancy Zimmerman); Flower Fan-a-See (Gwen Lowe); GreenFire (Nancy Bedows + Shendet Ismajlaj); Kishwaukee College Floral Design Program (Janet Gallagher AIFD CFD, Peyton Lamps, Abigail Martin, Hayley Krull); Klehm Arboretum + Botanic Garden (Sam Burbach + Maddie Smith); The Landscape Connection (Michelle Cox); Leaf River Landscaping (Mark Ellena); London Avenue Designs (Kaya Obee); Nicholas Conservatory + Gardens (Leslie Campos-Crow); O’Fallon’s Fine Flowers (Amy Caruana + Kathy Caruana); Petals + Pickin’s (Melody Layng); Stems Floral and More (Michelle Cox + Jane Nolting); Toni’s of Winnebago (Michelle Princer); A Thymeless Bloom (Courtney Turner AIFD CFD ICPF); Pattie Wallander Designs (Pattie Wallander ICPF CFD); and St. Charles Florist + Boutique (John Windisch AIFD CFD).
Chaired by David Boccignone, Art in Bloom was sponsored by Sharyn + Joe Castrogiovanni, Gail + Hugh Funderburg, Joan Stonecipher; Anne + David Boccignone, Scandroli Construction, Karen + Dave Diamond; Bischoff Dentistry, Judy Boccignone, CoyleKiley Insurance, Sara + Dave Deutsch, Cherri + Phil Eaton, Sherry + Greg Harlan, Lisa + Mark Lindman, Patty + Jeff Smith, Wolfe Landscaping, Tina + Gary Kaatz, Lulu + Greg Watt.
About Rockford Art Museum: Founded in 1913, Rockford Art Museum exists to enrich the quality of life in the Rockford region through a permanent art collection, frequent art exhibitions, and lifelong art education. RAM is located inside the Riverfront Museum Park at 711 North Main Street in downtown Rockford, Illinois. Learn more at rockfordartmuseum.org.
