On Thursday, February 15th, Douglas Elliman partnered with Pink Pirate Agency to close out New York Fashion Week 2018 with a unique blend of fashion and real estate. The Journey Fashion Festival, an outdoor, Parisian-inspired fashion show, was hosted at 251 East 61st Street, an exclusive Upper East Side townhouse currently listed with Douglas Elliman’s Robert Morrison and Margaret Dillon for $14.35 Million.

The grandiose, five-story townhouse was converted into runway that connected the main townhouse to the home’s adjoining carriage house through the outdoor courtyard. The novel idea came from The Journey Fashion Festival’s founder, Malena Belafonte, who said, ““It may seem crazy, wanting to do an outdoor fashion show in New York during the middle of February, but I just knew it would be perfectly sexy and classy. I wanted a boutique vibe that channeled that special time in Paris where it was all about creating a show that would stand out and differ from the others.”

The Journey Fashion Festival is a platform for both established and emerging international designers and brands to showcase their designs in an otherwise exclusive industry. The evening’s show began with an environmentally sustainable collection presented by Minan Wong. Next, came a lingerie showcase by Helen Sanchez Intimates and a glamorous Hollywood-inspired collection from ESTE & CHLO by Henry Picado. The show was closed out with a live musical performance by Brazilian singers, Alina Munez and Marco de Vita, who accompanied Project Runway All Stars Layana Aguilar’s contemporary collection.

The show was a success for both fashion and real estate alike: “We were thrilled to open our doors to The Journey Fashion Festival,” said listing agent Robert Morrison of Douglas Elliman, “As they allowed us to market the townhouse in a unique and non-conventional way. “Not only were we able to get a set of fresh eyes on the property, but we were also able to do so in an exciting and tasteful way.”

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Article by Katya Demina