No one’s going to admit this, but it’s true: No matter how fabulous the clothes, or how worthy the cause, the real reason women turn out for the Ebony Fashion Fair year after year is to check out two models in particular.
The two who happen to be men.
Well, maybe not every woman. But there’s no denying that whenever the men hit the runway — either by themselves or paired with one or more of the 11 female models — the crowd goes wild. Wolf-whistles and shouts of “yeah, baby” combine with thunderous applause that the fellows seem to enjoy just as much as the women showing their appreciation for a nice set of abs and buns of steel. Covered, of course, in haute couture.
The 50th anniversary edition of the world’s largest traveling fashion show rolled into Denver earlier this month and attracted a crowd of about 1,000 for lunch and the show. It was the 40th time it benefited Denver chapter of The Links, Inc.
Co-chairs Faye Wilson Tate and Elenora Crichlow recalled the many different forms in which the show had been presented here.
“It has had dinner, dessert and luncheon editions, as well as a show-only,” Crichlow said. “It has been held in the Paramount Theatre, the DCPA and Boettcher Concert Hall.” This time it was at the Sheraton Denver Hotel.
The show opened with a look back at designs popular in years past when such then-unknowns as Richard Roundtree (“Shaft”); B. Smith, who went on to become a lifestyle guru and television host; and Pat Cleveland, whose days with Ebony propelled her to superstardom on the international runways.
Ida Daniel is president of the Denver Links and enlisted her daughter Jennifer, who is also a Link, to help with the afternoon’s prize giveaways. Ida’s husband, federal Judge Wiley Daniel, was put to work with such other Link spouses as former Bronco Odell Barry and Coors VP Moses Brewer, collecting tickets at the door.
Former Mayor Wellington Webb accompanied his wife, Link Wilma Webb, and was seated near such friends as Esther Nelson, Linda and Larry Williams, Dianne Briscoe, and Arnold Roane, who was “batching it” while wife Myrtle spent a girlfriends weekend in New York.
Retired Denver Public Schools principal Gaynell Lawrence was in from New Orleans to attend the benefit with sister Penny Mc- Knight.
Other familiar faces in the crowd: Christy Calvin, June Johnson, Sylvia Jackson, Sandra and Jada Roberts, Terry Nelson, Erma Ford, Pat Duncan, Tish Williams and daughter Rhetta Shead, Kathryn and Jim Kaiser, Pat Duncan, Heather Barry, Loujuana Terry and Carlotta LaNier.
Society editor Joanne Davidson: 303-809-1314 or jdavidson@denverpost.com; also, blogs.denver
