The Saint Louis Fashion Fund, which recently unveiled its latest Fashion Lab residents, is celebrating its fifth anniversary in style this Sunday, July 28, with a rooftop pool party. Keeping with the organization's mission of revitalizing the historic Garment District, the event will be held at The Last Hotel.
Event chair Sarah Stallmann says the building is one of the most exciting features of the Fund's rooftop pool party, in part because The Last Hotel is in the former location of the International Shoe Company, which was the largest shoe manufacturer in the world in the early 1900s. "This building, in and of itself, has a lot of fashion history," she says. "The entire building is shoe building–themed, and the rooftop location has an amazing Grecian-style pool with a lot of local detail.“
Event attendees, who are encouraged to wear vintage or modern swimwear, can enjoy a performance by DJ Agile One, a complimentary cocktail from The Last Hotel’s menu, and beer from New York–based Brooklyn Brewery, as well as a tasting of Codigo Tequila.
While the event celebrates five years for the Fashion Fund, it's also a moment to reflect on the organization's past and future. "We've come a long way," says Stallmann, "and there's so much more to do. But the nature of young nonprofits like this is that it has to build slowly in a smart way."
Over the past two years, Stallmann notes, the organization has extended its reach beyond fashion designers. "We get to bring the sense of interest and excitement of fashion into these different areas in the financial world or the insurance world, where people don't usually think that fashion exists, but it does," she says.
The pool party kicks off a series of events, including a talk from men's fashion icon Dapper Dan. Stallmann hopes the party invites more St. Louisans to take part in the Fund's year-round events.
Photography courtesy of Saint Louis Fashion Fund
The proceeds benefit the Fashion Fund. For an extra $20, guests can enter a raffle for tickets to the organization's annual gala in October. Guests can also participate in a “boozy ring toss” for a chance to bring home a bottle of wine or liquor.
"We want it to be a fun way for people to just connect and feel comfortable, communicate, and meet some new people," she says.
The Saint Louis Fashion Fund Pool Party is for guests ages 21 and older. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for $25 per person.
