Macy’s 14th through 18th Annual Fashion Theater benefiting AIDS/HIV research, prevention, treatment and care. The event grew from two evenings—a Cocktail and Hors d’Oeuvres Reception and a VIP Seated Dinner in San Francisco followed by the Fashion Show—to receptions over three evenings in San Francisco and two in Los Angeles.

Total event attendance grew from 5,000 in 1996 to 14,500 in 2000 (2,900 guests each evening).

Managed budget that grew from $200,000 to over $700,000

Selected and solicited donations from a broad range of restaurants, food and beverage companies and service providers

Provided backstage and celebrity food and beverage for seven days that grew from 600 to over 2,100 meals for both locations

Coordinated logistics, pre-event and on-site, with Macy’s management, publicity, decor staff, lighting company, rental companies, catering, celebrity chefs and vendors for ever-increasing details of load-in, set-up, event production, breakdown and load-out

Designed detailed floor plans (with Vectorworks program) and timelines that determined the flow and rental needs for all events in SF and LA

Increased donations from restaurant, hotel and beverage sponsors from $125,000 to over $300,000 and from 40 individual sponsors to over 125

Created events that flowed with ease, that accommodated the large number of guests and resulted in the enjoyment for all involved (guests, sponsors and staff)

Strengthened the continuity of the event by personally developing relationships with the restaurant, hotel and beverage sponsors. 75% of participating sponsors repeated their involvement for two years or more

Improved VIP Dessert Reception following the Fashion Show in San Francisco by increasing restaurant sponsor participation. Guest attendance increased from 800 to 1,700 guests at this location

Secured, developed and retained a consistent management team—and staff—that worked the event all five years

Coordinated decor vision and design with Macy’s Visual management to ensure cost-effective and dramatic results