The Great Gatsby movie came to life at the sold-out 9th annual Gorgeous & Green Gala - The Green Gatsby - on October 11, 2013 in San Francisco benefiting Global Green USA. The Bay Area’s most eco-conscious philanthropists along with celebrity hosts Rosario Dawson and Maggie Grace turned out for the event which celebrated high-end sustainable design making a difference in people’s lives.
Gatsby was the theme of the night, and the Reserve sparkled in luxurious Art Deco black and gold decor and sumptuous lighting. Curated by Blueprint Studios, the design was completely sustainable. The guests embraced the Jazz Age dress code with aplomb and were resplendent in 1920s attire including vintage flapper dresses and elaborate headpieces.
The event was co-chaired by Zem Joaquin, Nadine Weil, and Christopher Bently. Notable guests on the green carpet included actress Rosario Dawson, actress Maggie Grace, singer Eoin Harrington, Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method who played at the event, Wendy Schmidt, Peter and Stephanie Coyote, Vanessa Getty, raw food chef Roxanne Klein, and actor Steve Connell.
Eoin Harrington in Brooks Brothers Rosario Dawson at Green Gatsby
VIPs began the night with a cocktail reception featuring sustainable Wente Vineyards Brut Sparkling Wine and farm-to-table hors d’oeuvres by the talented Taste Catering. Guests were then treated to a gourmet, organic dinner prepared by celebrity chef Ken Frank of La Toque accompanied by the sustainable LangeTwins Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve and the famous Eileen Cabernet Sauvignon from Chiarello Family Vineyards. Assorted delectable pastries made with organic ingredients from Miette rounded out the evening on a sweet note.
The Gorgeous & Green fashion show, curated and styled by Lily Achatz and co-produced by Lily Achatz and Clarissa Nicosia, glamorously invoked the Gatsby era and showcased stunning models by Stars Model Management in vintage couture 1920s looks from Decades of Fashion in San Francisco, eBay Green, Torso Vintages, and Rose La Mer (exquisite headpieces), as well as bespoke suits from The Artful Gentleman and eco-conscious gowns from Cari Borja. Also starring was America’s oldest clothier, Brooks Brothers, who outfitted F. Scott Fitzgerald in his day and created the men's costumes for the recent blockbuster movie “The Great Gatsby.” Google Glass even made an appearance on the Green Gatsby runway.
Stars Models in Decades of Fashion on the Green Gatsby Runway
Pureology stylists worked their magic to give the models beautiful 1920s looks, while Chantecaille and Saks Fifth Avenue provided expert makeup for the runway show. Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method rocked the house with his Gatsby-infused beats. He is truly utilizing music as a force for good with the Electronic Music Alliance. The Decobelles gave a spirited dance performance to the Charleston which wowed the crowd.
The Decobelles Green Gatsby Program
During the festive fete, Eco-Accolades were awarded to the prominent local businesses Intel, Adobe and The PlumpJack Group based on each company’s superior commitment to sustainability. Intel was recognized for its industry-leading green power purchases that offset 100% of its U.S. electricity use, Adobe was honored for their exemplary green building and energy efficiency projects, and The PlumpJack Group was celebrated for their LEED Gold-certified properties CADE Estate Winery and the forthcoming Odette. Awards were accepted on behalf of each company by Suzanne Fallender of Intel, David Wadhwani of Adobe, and Hilary Newsom Callan of The PlumpJack Group.
“The event exceeded our extremely high expectations and we cannot thank our fabulous supporters enough,” said Zem Joaquin, editor at large of Home and Lifestyle for Huffington Post and founder of ecofabulous.com. “We were honored to recognize Adobe, Intel and PlumpJack Group for their exceptional focus on sustainability with Eco-Accolades, while celebrating the life-affirming work that we are doing at Global Green every day.”
PlumpJack and Adobe win Eco-Accolades at The Green Gatsby
"Zem and I were delighted to co-chair the Gorgeous and Green Gala together for our ninth year,” stated Nadine Weil. “Our goal was to show that you can live the decadent Gatsby lifestyle, and it can be eco-conscious from the fashion, to the decor, to the delectable speakeasy cocktails. Gatsby believed in the green light, and we too believe in a bright green future for all.”
On that speakeasy note, guests enjoyed an array of ecofabulous beverages throughout the evening including the famous Bee's Knees, Manhattan, and South Side cocktails served in ‘20s glassware. Featured at the bar were 360 Vodka, Masters of Whiskey, Bulleit Bourbon & Rye, Chateau Leoube Rose de Leoube, CADE 2010 Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, LangeTwins 2009 Midnight Reserve Red, Wente Vineyards Brut Sparkling Wine, Wente Vineyards Morning Fog Chardonnay, MateVeza beer, Laughing Glass Cocktails, and Runa Tea.
Maggie Grace tries out Google Glass at The Green Gatsby
Cop by day, auctioneer by night, Lenny Broberg hosted a spirited live auction that raised over $40,000 for Global Green and featured alluring packages from the legendary Post Ranch Inn, Bardessono, Turtle Island Resort in Fiji, and Las Alamandas Resort in Mexico, all renowned for their eco-luxury practices and unforgettable experiences.
The photo booth led by Drew Altizer Photography and Catalyst Arts was a popular spot as guests glammed it up in their Gatsby best.
The Green Gatsby Photo Booth
This year’s VIP Gift Bag was especially coveted with goodies from Earth Friendly Products, Chantecaille, Bodi Tonic, Flywheel, Numi Tea, popchips, Pureology, Tarte and ZEGO Snacks.
The committee raised over $350,000 for Global Green’s environmental programs thanks to the night’s generous sponsors including The 11th Hour Project of the Schmidt Family Foundation, eBay Green, Bently Enterprises, Adobe, nrg energy, Pureology, PG&E, ecofabulous, Catamount Ventures, Heart of Green, Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, The Real Real, NapaStyle, Bottega Napa Valley, Roka Akor restaurant, Elisabeth Thieriot, and our wonderful Host Committee members including Wendy Schmidt, Christine Bronstein, Alice Bamford, Eileen Gordon Chiarello, Steve Simon, Eric & Carmel Greenberg, Tricia & Karl Jacob, and Lisa Sardegna.
We would like to give special thanks to Bauer’s Intelligent Transportation for eco-friendly car service, Le Meridien Hotel, Everything Audio Visual, and Leftwich Event Specialists. Taste Catering helped us make the Green Gatsby a target zero waste event, thereby putting the ultimate green in gorgeous.
We are grateful to Glodow Nead communications and our media partners Drew Altizer Photography, Step Into My Green World, and The Huffington Post for their support.
To see all of the fabulous event photos, please see the Drew Altizer gallery.
Left: Matt Petersen, Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method, Janine Jordan
Right: Zem Joaquin, Maggie Grace, Christiana Wyly, Nadine Weil
Wendy Schmidt Steve Connell and Zem Joaquin
Press Wrap-Up
San Francisco Chronicle: Global Green Gala, October 11
C Magazine C Social Front: Global Green Gorgeous and Green Gala
San Francisco Chronicle SFGate: The Green Gatsby Gala
7x7: Top Looks from the Gorgeous & Green Gala
Step Into My Green World: Maggie Grace and Rosario Dawson host Global Green 9th annual Gorgeous & Green gala in San Francisco
Haute Living Magazine: Global Green’s Gorgeous and Green Gala
Haute Living Magazine: Top 10 Looks from Gorgeous and Green
ContactMusic: Global Green USA's 9th Annual Gorgeous & Green Gala
Inhabitat: Global Green's 9th Annual Gorgeous & Green Gala Wows With "Green Gatsby" Theme
PopSugar: VIDEO Rosario Dawson on her Eco-Activism at Gorgeous & Green Gala
Bay Fashion Magazine: Rosario Dawson & Maggie Grace Host Sold-Out Global Green's 9th Annual Gorgeous & Green Gala in SF
The Avant Gardist: Gatsby Goes Green
Tango Diva: SF Global Green USA’s 9th Annual Gorgeous and Green Gala
Florum Fashion Magazine November 2013 issue: The Green Gatsby
Racked: Google Glass Walks the Global Green Runway
Gastronomique En Vogue Magazine (GEV): The Green Gatsby
Glam: Party Report: 9th Annual Green Gatsby Gala
Glam: Beauty School: How to Get the Roaring ’20s Look
Glam: Green is the New Black: Why Stylish Celebs Are Turning to Pre-Loved Clothes