Fashion Icon to Accept Designer of Excellence Award

Celebrate legendary fashion designer Carolina Herrera as the Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum presents her with their Designer of Excellence Award on Monday, May 15 at The Casino Club of Chicago.

Join co-chairs Marit Bohbot, Courtney Hopkins and Blythe Lee for a stylish evening from 6 to 10 p.m.

The Designer of Excellence Award is bestowed upon visionary designers who have indelibly left their mark on the fashion world. The Costume Council is honored to add Carolina Herrera to the list of fashion luminaries previously celebrated by the Costume Council. Past honorees include James Galanos, Christian Lacroix, Sonia Rykiel, Hubert du Givenchy, Geoffrey Beene, Bill Blass, Ralph Rucci and Bob Mackie.

Establishing a globally recognized style, Carolina Herrera has resided at the helm of her eponymous label for over three decades proving with each new season that effortless elegance paired with modern refinement is always relevant. Herrera introduced her enormously successful bridal wear line in 1987, outfitting renowned brides such as Caroline Kennedy and Olivia Palermo.  Celebrities such as Renee Zellweger, Salma Hayek, Marion Cotillard, Sandra Bullock, Tina Fey, Reese Witherspoon, Taylor Swift and Zhang Ziyi have worn Herrera’s designs.

With the endorsement of legendary Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, Carolina Herrera presented her first collection of women’s ready-to-wear in 1981. Opening her New York-based atelier shortly after, the designer aligned her name synonymously with the city and all things luxury. Carolina Herrera launched her first fragrance in 1988, and has gone on to release 14 additional fragrances in over 40 countries. With the opening of her first New York boutique in 2000, the designer counts three flagships among her 125 retail locations and 223 shop in shops in worldwide.

The Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of Presenting Sponsor Liz Stiffel and in-kind sponsors Laurent-Perrier Champagne and Buccellati.

Visit chicagohistory.org/herreradesignerofexcellence for more information.

Individual tickets are $500 and tables start at $5,000. Please contact Ishan Johnson, Chicago History Museum auxiliary relations coordinator for additional information at 312-799-2118 or at ijohnson@chicagohistory.org.

About the Costume Council
The Chicago History Museum serves as a unique national resource for the preservation, interpretation, and understanding of history through the collection, examination and documentation of costume.  Through the support of the Costume Council, the Chicago History Museum has maintained a thriving costume collection and operated a conservation lab that manages and sustains this critical aspect of our holdings.

Many artifacts in the Museum’s collection were made by Chicago’s dressmakers, milliners, and manufacturers.  The costume holdings encompass a number of items worn by prominent Chicagoans and Americans.  Some unique pieces include personal items belonging to Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln, Michael Jordan’s basketball uniform, and Mahalia Jackson’s choir robe.  The earliest pieces include suits worn by George Washington and John Adams.  The Museum’s extensive couture holdings, ranging from Charles Worth gowns to the innovative designs of Yohji Yamamoto, have earned an international reputation.

Carolina Herrera (www.carolinaherrera.com) is an international fashion house recognized for timeless elegance and refinement. Founded in 1981 by Carolina Herrera, the eponymous label produces numerous collections consisting of ready-to-wear and accessories for women, men and children, as well as bridal and fragrances available in 105 countries at 15,000 points of distribution including over 146 CH Carolina Herrera and 3 Carolina Herrera New York retail locations. The collections reflect an effortless sophistication inherent in the iconic style of founder Carolina Herrera. Follow www.facebook.com/carolinaherrerany and @houseofherrera on Instagram for the latest news from inside the house.

ABOUT THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM

The Chicago History Museum is situated on ancestral homelands of the Potawatomi people, who cared for the land until forced out by non-Native settlers. Established in 1856, the Museum is now at 1601 N. Clark Street in Lincoln Park, its third location. As a major museum and research center for Chicago and U.S. history, the Chicago History Museum strives to be a destination for learning, inspiration and civic engagement. Through dynamic exhibitions, tours, publications, special events and programming, the Museum connects people to Chicago’s history and to each other. To share Chicago stories, the Museum collects and preserves millions of artifacts, documents, images and other items that are relevant to the city’s history. The Museum gratefully acknowledges the support of the Chicago Park District on behalf of the people of Chicago.