They were dressed to the nines but acted like groupies muscling their way into a rock concert.
Some 1,500 well-heeled women dressed in their favorite St. John Knits outfits left work early March 21 to take a seat at the Irvine-based designer’s fall fashion show at the Bren Events Center.
Bob Gray, the company’s chairman and co-founder, assured guests the event wouldn’t fall victim to the energy crisis.
“Just in case you were thinking there might be a blackout, there won’t be, because these lights are all run by a generator,” he said.
Gray then mused that the show likely would be his last and introduced new Chief Executive Hubert W. Mullins, a former Neiman Marcus Group Inc. executive.
“We feel he’s going to be the person to lead St. John into the next generation,” Gray said.
Mullins, who joined St. John in February, outlined his plans for expanding the family-run company’s global, retail and accessories businesses.
“Many of you are wearing our beautiful St. John apparel,” he told the audience. “But you are carrying someone else’s handbag, wearing someone else’s jewelry, watches and eyewear. I am here to give you fair warning we are going to fix that.”
Also on hand were members of the Nordstrom family.
“(Mullins) has got a good understanding of what we go through as retailers,” said Peter Nordstrom, a company president who spent four years in Orange County as regional manager of the company’s South Coast Plaza store.
As the lights dimmed, spotlights hit the first batch of models wearing two-piece knit suits in yellows, pinks, purples, grays and blacks, shown with matching shoes and purses. The company’s glittery evening gowns came next.
St. John also used the occasion to relaunch its Gray & Gray collection,once the Griffith & Gray label. Now a mother-daughter collaboration, the line is designed by co-founder and chief designer Marie Gray and Kelly Gray.
