Milly Rocks the Runway at Mack, Jack and McConaughey Fashion Show
Fresh style appeals to an Austin audience at the third annual MJ&M.;
The third annual Mack, Jack and McConaughey event was held in April, and was an event-filled weekend of food, golf, fashion and philanthropy. The charity helps numerous local organizations, such as the Rise School of Austin, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas and several after-school programs.
“Grades improve, they graduate, the kids are not in gangs and try to be better human beings,” says Camila Alves, host of the event and the wife of actor Matthew McConaughey.
Sheryl Prince, a student from an East Austin school, shared her experience about the event’s Gratitude Circle with luncheon attendees at The Moody Theater.
“It taught me to be a team player and taught me to trust and respect myself,” she said. “I now trust myself to make the right eating habits. I learned to make smoothies and we do that with my family now on every Friday.”
Alves says she has enjoyed building the fashion component for the MJ&M event because who doesn’t love a good fashion show? Indeed, Alves has done a great job getting fashion headliners to come to Austin.
“Bringing this high fashion to Austin, and [having] women experience that in their hometown is so wonderful,” Alves says.
Designers Lela Rose and Badgley Mischka have shown collections to a packed house at Neiman Marcus in years past. This year, the event was moved to the W Hotel to accommodate a much larger crowd enjoying the Spring collection from Milly by Michelle Smith.
Smith was approached a year ago by Neiman Marcus, and after some research about the MJ&M organization, she says she was pleased that it benefited children and was something she wanted to be involved with.
“As a mother of two small children, helping children in need is near and dear to my heart,” Smith says, adding, “Every collection is very personal to me and I am always anticipating what is next and searching for something new.”
Inspiration for Smith is as random as her creative collections. An art exhibit, a movie or even the neon signs of Austin can be an inspiration, she says. Gathering fabric swatches from Paris, her amazing creativity begins. Smith’s Spring 2015 collection was inspired by artist John Baldessari. She pushed her creative spirit with this collection and tried to look forward with the new pieces rather than rehash looks from the past.
The Austin crowd seemed to enjoy seeing the Spring collection full of color, whimsical prints and elegant white. Smith collaborated with DesigNation on a limited edition Milly collection available in Kohl’s stores now.
More than $1.5 million was raised at this year’s successful MJ&M event to benefit children in the Austin area.
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