A ‘Nautical Affair’ at the Corcoran had a crew of up and coming Washington socialites – so, did the event (and fashion) sink or swim?

By Michael Clements

Amir Afkhami, Hastie Kargar, Chris Boutlier. Photograph by Kyle Samperton

Stormy clouds didn’t deter the seafaring captains at this year’s 1869 Society Fall Fête, held at the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Indeed, the sheer buzz leading up to the event was like a beacon of light leading the area’s fashionable up and coming movers and shakers safely to the shores of Ernest Flagg’s classic Beaux-Arts style building. The event is one of the highlights of, what we at Washington Life like to refer to as The Young & The Guest List (YGL) scene (the area’s under-40 social set). It lived up to the hype.

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From left: Kerry Troup, gala co-chair Annual Taste of the Stars Gala; Joseph E. Robert III, gala chair Fight Night; Don Peebles, gala co-chair 2009 Dare to Dream; Simone-Marie L. Meeks, gala co-chair Ambassadors Ball; Joe Solmonese, President Human Rights Campaign; Barbara Merola, gala co-chair Corcoran 1869 Society Fall Fête; Tiffany Gates, gala chair The Choral Arts Society Holiday Concert and Gala; Jimmy Smits, gala co-chair Noche de Gala; Nina Pillsbury, gala chair Sibley Hospital Gala; Ann Walker Marchant, gala chair The Washington Ballet Spring Gala.

Photographs by Clay Blackmore
Styling: James Cornwell, PR @ Partners
Makeup: Myken Garcia & Francesca Mastri, PR @ Partners
Hair: Alicia Renee Jones & Dyan Zurich Smith, PR @ Partners
Photographed at the Mandarin Oriental, Washington, D.C.

For full listings of all upcoming galas and events, please see our Social Calendar widget.

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The 2009 Choral Arts Gala, Photo by Kyle Samperton

The 2009 Washington Life Guide to Balls and Galas.

SEPTEMBER

WNO’S OPENING NIGHT GALA
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What to Expect: Join fellow opera enthusiasts for the Washington National Opera’s highly-anticipated Season Opening Night Gala dinner dance following the premiere performance of Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, where the funds raised benefit the WNO’s performance programs and educational outreach projects.
Date: Saturday, September 12; 7 p.m.
Location: Performance at the Opera House, The Kennedy Center; gala dinner at the Hall of the Americas, Organization of American States Building
Attire: Black-tie
Price: Starting at $500; sponsorship packages starting at $5,000; performance tickets sold separately
Contact: WNO Special Events Hotline, 202-295-2449, specialevents@dc-opera.org; performance tickets, 202-295-2420

2009 WOLF TRAP BALL
What to Expect: The vast Filene Center stage transforms into a magical setting as Germany marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and celebrates “Freedom without Walls” at the performance venue’s annual ball. As the foundation’s largest fundraiser, proceeds benefit Wolf Trap’s arts and education programs.
Date: Saturday, September 12; 7 p.m.
Location: Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Attire: Black-tie
Event Chairmen: Mary E. Arnold and James C. Nesbitt III
Price: $500 to $1,000; tables from $5,500 to $25,000
Contact: Melanie Allan McCarty, 703-255-1944, events@wolftrap.org

 NATIONAL HISPANIC FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS’ NOCHE DE GALA
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What to Expect: Always high on the caliente chart, the evening brings A-List Hispanic entertainers together for dinner, dancing, and fundraising. Founded by actors Jimmy Smits, Sonia Braga, Esai Morales, and Washington attorney Felix Sanchez, the foundation offers graduate scholarships and programs to young Latinos pursuing careers in entertainment and media.
Date: Tuesday, September 15; 6:30 p.m.
Location: Corcoran Gallery of Art
Attire: Black-tie
Event Chairmen: Joaquin Bacardi III, Sonia Braga, Ginny Grenham, Merel Julia, Esai Morales, Felix Sanchez, and Jimmy Smits
Price: $1,000; corporate sponsorships available
Contact: Jennifer Castillo, 202-293-8330

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