Bluewater has proudly worked alongside the Van Andel Institute for several years to help produce their annual Couture for a Cure event, which typically puts guests front row at their high-fashion runway for a worthy cause. However, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit and restricted crowds and gatherings, Bluewater and Van Andel Institute worked to quickly pivot their upcoming 2020 Couture for a Cure evening of fashion, fun, and support to a virtual event that brought high fashion right into the home of its supporters.
From the beginning, Bluewater worked closely with the team at Van Andel Institute to help drive pre-production and creative efforts for the event with a focus on ensuring that this annual event maintained its premier, high-fashion status even when going virtual.
This was achieved by utilizing our state-of-the-art Studio West streaming studio located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Our 20’ LED wall served as a fully customized digital backdrop for the show, and we utilized multiple cameras, lighting, and audio from within the streaming studio to bring a high-quality experience to those who were attending from home.
“The Bluewater team is absolutely top notch. From the very beginning, they helped us think through meeting design, and then fully brought our vision to life,” said Sarah Rollman, Director of Events and Corporate Giving at VAI. “Braden was able able to react quickly when we had suggestions and the entire Bluewater team worked together to strategize and come up with the solutions we needed. All in all, I would say that this is one of the best virtual platforms out there, with the industry’s top experts running the show.”
Bluewater also worked with Van Andel Institute to ensure that virtual guests felt just as much a part of the event than they would if they were sat right alongside the runway. Throughout the night, attendees were able to request a song to be added to the playlist of the live DJ that streamed music to everyone at home from the pre- and post-show virtual lounge. Guests also enjoyed live-streamed entertainment from the event, and even took part in a virtual silent auction that raised money to benefit biomedical research and K–12 and graduate education programs at the Institute.
The result was an evening of fashion and fun that raised money for a wonderful cause, all while guests were able to enjoy the show from the comfort of their own homes, dressing as fashionably or as comfortably as they would like.
To learn more about Bluewater’s virtual event production capabilities, along with information on how to utilize our Studio West Streaming Studio for your next virtual event, contact us today.
