46th Annual Brass Ring Luncheon & Fashion Show
For over four decades, legendary fashion designer Marc Bouwer has made fashion history on runways and red carpets. Bouwer is known for his memorable, dramatic, glamorous gowns that have created so many timeless fashion moments. Judy McNeil will be presented with the T1D Changemaker Award for her outstanding contributions to The Children’s Diabetes Foundation. The fundraising event honoring type 1 heroes is taking place at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel at 1550 Court Place, Denver, Colorado, on Thursday, March 6th at 10 a.m.
Marc Bouwer is a New York City-based luxury womenswear brand that focuses on sophisticated tailoring, clean lines, and a refined sense of femininity. Bouwer’s mastery of tailoring and draping, a skill he honed under legendary designer Halston, is central to his appeal. Raised in South Africa, Bouwer won the South African Vogue Young Designer Award and set his sights on New York, where his talent quickly led him to Halston’s studio. Bouwer’s hard work and versatility established him as a leading eveningwear designer in the U.S.
His style is distinct and timeless: lush colors, plunging necklines, and daring slits, inspired by his love for cinema classics like Blade Runner and Marie Antoinette. Today, Bouwer’s connections in Hollywood make him a sought-after style expert and TV personality. Bouwer has crafted some of pop culture’s most iconic looks, from Whitney Houston’s wedding dress and beaded tour catsuits to Shania Twain’s unforgettable outfits in “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman.” His 2004 Oscar gown for Angelina Jolie remains a favorite, even earning a place on André Leon Talley’s list of the best Oscar gowns of all time.
As vintage fashion resurges, Bouwer’s archival designs have returned to the red carpet. Kerry Washington wore a red velvet gown first worn by Whitney Houston in 1996, Kelsea Ballerini donned Shania Twain’s 1999 Grammy gown, and Sydney Sweeney revived Jolie’s Oscar look exactly 20 years later. Bouwer’s timeless creations continue to shape pop culture, cementing his legacy in fashion history. Bouwer now offers bespoke couture and costume design through his NYC Atelier.
Attendees can join in to bid on the silent and live auctions, buy preloved jewelry and handbags from the Jewels For Hope and Bags For Hope sale, bid on legendary gift baskets created exclusively for The Guild, choose a mystery bottle of wine from the Wine Pull, and grab your favorite gift cards from local restaurants in the Dine n’ Dash.
This year’s Brass Ring emcee is CBS Colorado News Anchor Michael Spencer. Since April of 2023, Michael has been anchoring the news desk, and you can catch him on CBS News at five, six, and ten every weeknight alongside his co-anchor, Karen Leigh.
Proceeds of the Brass Ring Luncheon will benefit the Guild of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation to improve the health and well-being of Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes (BDC) patients living with type 1 diabetes and their families through education, support, advocacy, and research.
• The Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes serves more than 8,000 patients from 36 states and 43 countries.
• 45% of the patients at the Barabara Davis Center are uninsured or underinsured.
• 35% of the patients at the Barbara Davis Center live at or below the poverty level.
• Type 1 diabetes is an expensive disease that does not discriminate – on average, the first year of care for a newly diagnosed type 1 is $20,000. This is a heavy lift for anyone, let alone families already struggling financially.
• Nearly 130 children in America are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes monthly.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/2764963-0
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2764963-2
