Fleurs de Villes Femmes, presented by 900 North Michigan Shops: A floral tribute to remarkable women

After more than a two-year hiatus from hosting public events, 900 North Michigan Shops closed Women’s History Month with a floral exhibit like none other, Fleurs de Villes FEMMES - a five-day, immersive experience that essentially transformed 900 Shops into equal parts art gallery and floral boutique.

Some 275 guests attended a kick-off party to celebrate the opening of the stunning exhibit that featured more than a dozen mannequins dressed in custom gowns made of thousands of fresh flowers. Attendees were treated to an array of hors d'oeuvres from Aster Hall, and cocktails courtesy of the exhibit’s liquor sponsor, Hendrick’s Gin. In addition to the exhibit, guests were also the first to experience the garden setting of Le Jardin, where floral workshops took place throughout the run of the show, with décor provided by Kehoe Designs.

The event ran from March 29 to April 3 on two levels of the 900 Shops mall. (900shops.com)

Each mannequin honored one of the following luminaries:

• ·  Betty White
• ·  Michelle Obama
• ·  Frida Kahlo
• ·  Malala Yousafzai
• ·  Maria Tallchief
• ·  Audrey Hepburn
• ·  Oprah Winfrey
• ·  Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
• ·  Rita Moreno
• ·  Diana Ross
• ·  Empress Xiaozhuangwen
• ·  Bertha Palmer
• ·  Queen Anne

Florists competed for the following categories:

• Florist Favorite: Bloome, for Oprah Winfrey
• Most Realistic: Flowerchild, for Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
• Most Creative: Ki House, for Bertha Palmer
• Best in Show: Hedonia, for Empress Xiaozhuang

 The judges panel was made up of: Courtney Hopkins, former president, The Costume Council , Patience Pickner, floral designer, Kennicott Brothers, Cortney Hall, co-host of Chicago Today, Rosie Clayton, social media influencer.