April Showers

Entertaining | April 2017

April Showers

Planning your own fashion week-inspired baby shower

Event Design by Michelle Hope

Photos by Autumn Lane Photography

Designing an event inspired by fashion designers is a fun and exciting way to get creative with your next party. We chose the design powerhouse Kate Spade for this spirited baby shower theme and the results were colorfully classic and undeniably Kate Spade.

Check out our party details and decor for ideas on how you can throw your next fashion-forward party.

Make a statement

Every fashion designer strives to brand themselves, and Kate Spade & Co is no different. With a very distinct brand that all started with her hand bags, we wanted to have a statement piece for the party, and that was our cake.

Frost bake shop created a double two-tier cake featuring the iconic black and white stripes and gold polka dots. The addition of pink and gold handmade flowers added a touch of whimsy. This cake was definitely our statement piece and the focal point of the decor at the party. Everything else was designed around it to coordinate.

Variety is a necessity

When you walk into a Kate Spade store, there are plenty of designs to choose from. Something for everyone, so to speak. We decided on a dessert buffet to incorporate that same vibe for our guests. The perfectly styled cupcakes topped with bows were created by Confections and Connections and offered several different flavors. The mini sugar cookies that everyone adored were designed by Sugar Batch Cookies.

Patterns and Textures

Just like every good fashion designer, knowing how to put patterns and textures together can make great impact. We had an etsy shop (Design with Elegance) create some paper flowers and fans to use as a backdrop for our dessert table. They were just the bright pop of color and the balance of texture we needed. The beautiful thing about investing in decor like this is everything is reusable. It's definitely a wise investment in your party budget if you can re-use what you purchase for another party or even decor in your home elsewhere.

Petals and Blooms

A hi-fashion party just begs for fresh flowers. The English Garden took our Kate Spade Inspiration and ran with it. The bold, black and white, funky vases and bright blooms really paid homage to our colorful designer. Almost all designers gain inspiration from nature and flowers so it's only natural to include them in the decor.

Cocktails and Mocktails

You can't have a party without drinks that is for sure. We served a bright fuchsia, strawberry margarita punch that was spiked and also offered a “mocktail” version of it for those that preferred it. The party cups by Natalie Chang were the perfect choice for size and design. A disposable cup is always the easiest choice when hosting a party, but it does not have to be a plain solo cup. Many options are now readily available and you can also have cups custom made.

Tips and Party Details

We had a caterer (Las Delicias) do the food and they were able to deliver. Our Mexican buffet was mostly pick-up food and we kept it simple — tacos and quesadillas with rice, beans and guacamole. That was a huge stress relief and more budget friendly than going with food that required staff to set up and serve it.

Everyone left with a handmade paper box inspired by Kate Spade, of course, and filled with homemade pretzel candy: A sweet ending to a fashion forward event that we know Kate herself would be proud of.