by Ben York / @bjyork
I had to work late last Friday nig
ht. Very late.
But before you feel too bad for me, I’d be remiss if I didn’t let you know a few things up front:
1. Yes, I was working, but it was at a party.
2. The theme was “Suits & Sneakers.” Easily the best idea for a classy party ever.
3. It was at The W hotel in Scottsdale, one of the most elegant and luxurious hotels in all of Arizona.
4. Because SLAM has such a high reputation, I had VIP treatment all night.
5. SLAM/KICKS provided the swag for the fashion show.
Man, the things I have to sacrifice for my job…
First of all, The W Hotel in Scottsdale is off the hook. The entire building is sleek and modern; a perfect place to sit back and just chill. The ‘Suits & Sneakers’ party was held in their Shade Lounge and outside near the pool at w
hat they call Sunset Beach. This time of year in Arizona, the weather is absolutely perfect; I’m not kidding, it’s literally perfect. On Friday night it was a chilly 65 degrees poolside. I even brought my coat; after all, I wouldn’t want to catch a cold.
Hosting such lavish parties isn’t anything new to The W. They were the official after-party spot of the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend (held in Phoenix).
I arrived at about 9 p.m. to scope the location and take some pre-party photos. The first thing I noticed was how all of The W staff was decked out in (big surprise) suits and sneakers. Each staff member repped sick kicks from High Point, the premier street wear boutique in Arizona, and suits/dresses were provided by Astor and Black, Imago Styles and Dearly Departed.
The highlights of the night were undoubtedly the silent auction and the fashion show. High Point had a rare collection of kicks (and by ‘rare’ I mean freaking awesome) on display for both for the auction and runway show. All individuals who participated in the fashion show received a really nice gift bag complete with SLAM/KICKS magazines and other accessories.
Many thanks to Brian Kelly at Encore24, for providing photos from the party, and our boy, Shane, at The W Hotel for involving SLAM/KICKS.
Still feel bad for me?
