“I create clothes for women who are not only fiercely fashionable but also own their power and femininity,” fashion designer Jason Wu says on his website. Wu could be describing many principal dancers from San Francisco Ballet. Watch Sasha de Sola, Dores André, Mathilde Froustey or Yuan Yuan Tan perform, and you’ll see living, breathing, moving pictures of powerful femininity.
Photo Credit: Jason Wu
Wu’s expression of the female form will also be on display at an upcoming fundraiser for the ballet. On Wednesday, March 20, San Francisco Ballet Auxiliary in collaboration with Sam Malouf Authentic Luxury and chair Andi Valo-Espina will present an exclusive Jason Wu fashion show at the Bently Reserve—with the designer in attendance.
Wu launched his fashion brand a little over a decade ago and became an overnight sensation when Michelle Obama wore his dress—a white one-shoulder gown with delicate flower appliqué—to her husband’s inauguration in 2009. Obama loved Wu’s look so much that she chose him again for the 2013 inauguration, opting for a beautiful red silk number.
Today Wu is known for his impeccable craftsmanship, intricate dresses, and flirty prints. He recently released his second perfume, Velvet Rouge, and continues to find new ways to engage with his clients—through collaborations (with plus-size retailer Eloquii and subscription stylist service Stitch Fix) or intimate fashion presentations that benefit a cause like the ballet.
spring 2019
Photo Credit: Jason Wu
San Francisco Ballet’s runway show will include looks from Wu’s Fall 2019 collection, which debuted at New York Fashion Week in February. A number of retrospective pieces—one iconic item from each of Wu’s first 10 years as a designer—will also make their way down the catwalk. The clothing will be available to purchase at the presentation and the following day at an exclusive trunk show at Sam Malouf’s Burlingame boutique. Ten percent of all Wu purchases will be donated to SF Ballet.
Photo Credit: Jason Wu
This isn’t the ballet’s first fashion show—the event dates back to the 1980s, but it recently went on a four-year hiatus. The last official ballet runway collection was in 2015. The auxiliary has breathed new life into the fundraiser and hopes to raise $450,000 for a wide range of initiatives including community outreach, scholarships, and original works. A reception with bites and drinks will follow the 11 a.m. show. Tickets range in price from $500-$5,500 with VIPs invited to an intimate dinner the night before the show. The meal takes place at interior designer Ken Fulk’s gorgeous Magic Factory, and Wu will there as well.
Learn more at https:// www.sfballet.org/fashionshow
