Mardi

If you usually can’t afford to dine at the Ste. Marie, bring yourself to the CBD tomorrow for the Nola Fashion Council Brunch. There will be a $30 fixed menu, but the real steal is the 25cent mimosas. You can use the money you save on the trunk show, but more importantly, a portion of the restaurant’s proceeds will go towards local up and coming fashion designers. NoDef spoke with Andi Eaton of the Nola Fashion Council about how the brunch idea came to be.

“This is actually the fourth one we’re doing. We did the first one during Fashion Week and not as a fundraiser. The restaurant was happy with it, so we got together with them and said, ‘lets do this more often.’”

They’ve done it once a month since Fashion Week, and each event has a different twist. Tomorrow’s is called, “Baubles and Bloggers,” and Eaton thinks that this particular brunch will draw a big crowd.  

“Because we’ve got these five national New York bloggers coming in, I think we’ll have a bigger turnout because people just want to meet these ladies.” Eaton says that there will also be local bloggers based out of New Orleans and Baton Rouge.

Designs from Stay by Mar, Saint Claude, and newcomer Katie Grace Designs will be there. Eaton is excited about their freshest addition. “She’s a local New Orleans girl, she just launched her line of leather handbags and jewelry.”

Eaton is optimistic about the turnout. “I’ve got a feeling this one will be the biggest one we’ve done. What we do with the money is that all the funds we raise go back into investing. It’s really about a marketing platform for the designers.”

Since Fashion Week is such an expensive event to produce, Eaton encourages fashionistas to come out and support the people behind the garments. “Our mission is supporting local designers and establishing an industry in New Orleans. It’s on its way, definitely a budding industry. We want to help these designers build sustainable businesses,” Eaton said.

The Brunch is from 11-2 tomorrow, at 930 Poydras St.