Project Alabama’s formal runway show comprised of approximately 37 pieces done in shades of garnet, gold, amber, navy, and white featured feminine, graceful lines, fitted and cropped cardigans, narrow coats, sweet petticoated camisole dresses and circle skirts. Almost everything was hand piped, hand beaded, hand stitched, and/or hand sequined and as had been widely reported, some of the hand stitchers made the trip to New York from Alabama (an area that thankfully was NOT hit by Katrina) to see the show and to hold court at Jeffrey New York where they will demonstrate their techniques. Program notes confirmed that “a portion of Project Alabama’s proceeds from the sales will be donated to benefit Hurricane Katrina victims”.

By the way, as if to inject some local color, we were treated to the down home Blue Grass music of Ruby Jane Smith and The Rare Jewels, a trio comprised of two men playing guitar and bass, and a darling 10 year old prodigy (Ruby Jane) playing fiddle and mandolin.

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