April 15, 2013

In an era known for protests, the 1973 Versailles Fashion Ball in Paris set the stage for a fashion coup that is remembered to this day. The event, originally billed as a fundraiser to restore the Versailles Palace, pitted a relatively unknown group of American designers eager to become household names on the European fashion scene against the lions of French haute couture in front of an audience of royalty, jet-set millionaires, and industry icons. The result of this runway rumble realigned the fashion world with implications for a variety of artistic and cultural mediums.

“Versailles ’73: American Runway Revolution” marked Draper’s directorial debut, after launching Coffee Bluff Pictures in 2008, and we’re pleased to host Draper on April 18 for a free screening of “Versailles '73” where she’ll be joined by fashion model Pat Cleveland, who walked the Versailles runway in 1973. Cleveland modeled for designers such as Oscar de la Renta and was a favorite of Halston’s, both of whom competed with Bill Blass and Anne Klein against the brilliant French designers Yves St. Laurent, Christian Dior, Hubert de Givenchy, Pierre Cardin and Emanuel Ungaro.

The free screening is on Thursday, April 18 in the URBN Annex at 3401 Filbert St. Click here to visit the official documentary website.