Dapper Dan Celebrated the Saint Louis Fashion Fund’s Fifth Anniversary

In the 1920s, St. Louis, Missouri, was a fashion hub; the city’s historic Garment District trailed only New York City in terms of manufacturing and influence. This past weekend, the city nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River celebrated its rich sartorial history with a lavish gala hosted by the Saint Louis Fashion Fund.

More than 350 designers, civic leaders, and patrons packed Neiman Marcus St. Louis to salute five years of the Saint Louis Fashion Fund, a non-profit organization that supports emerging designers and fashion businesses, offers fashion education and outreach, and fosters economic development in downtown St. Louis.

“It’s nothing short of magical to see this eclectic group come together to catalyze St. Louis fashion,” said Susan Sherman, cofounder of the Saint Louis Fashion Fund. “St. Louis hasn’t seen this much moxie in decades.”

Guests at the gala were treated to custom cocktails courtesy of Glenlivet, followed by the “Art of Fashion” runway show, which featuring looks from Gucci and Zac Posen.

The highlight of the event was an appearance by special guest Dapper Dan, the eponymous American fashion designer and haberdasher from Harlem who spoke at Washington University’s Olin School of Business earlier in the day. Dan surprised the crowd by auctioning a custom velvet jacket and a special fitting at his Harlem atelier.

The event was capped off with burgers from Shake Shack (whose founder Danny Meyer is a St. Louis native) and a limited edition “Dapper Dan’s Delight” ice cream hand-crafted by Clementine’s Creamery, which was recently named an Oprah favorite in her magazine’s November issue.

In the end, the gala proved an incredible success as donations from the evening doubled what the Fund had hoped to raise that night.