The Day Pink House Art Met Fashion

On the first Thursday following Labor Day, Newburyport was still warm, encouraging everyone to get out and enjoy the fleeting summer vibes. Colorfully dressed members of the the Newburyport Art Association and local ladies of fashion gathered at the NAA gallery on Water Street to enjoy an afternoon of champagne, strawberries and canapés, surrounded by pieces of clothing designed by Thierry Charlebois, president and designer of Le Galeriste in Montreal, Quebec.

The sold out event, now three years running, is the brainchild of Newburyport icon Claudia Harris, owner of The Elephant's Trunk, Newburyport. Her timeless upscale women's boutique on Inn Street is the key piece of the partnership, lending her keen fashion eye to guide the designs the event centers around. 

Thierry Charlebois (l), designer, sports a Pink House shirt, with Claudia Harris (r), owner of Elephant's Trunk Inc and co-designer as they welcome all to the fashion show at the Newburyport Art Association. PC: Jay McCarthy

The finale wowed the crowd with diverse, avant-garde styles inspired by photographs, paintings and this year, a sculpture, all by local artists. You can spot this year's Pink House nod in above the hem on the dress second from the left. PC: Jay McCarthy

The event holds a special place for Support The Pink House. In its inaugural year, the event featured the work of a single artist, Ron Emmerling, whose captivating images of the Pink House was imagined in fabrics.  as a dress, scarf, several styles of dress shirt and men’s tie, as reported in the Newburyport Daily News. Now, three years later the event has grown to include 29 designs, representing work from a dozen local artists. 

Read about the first event, and how the Pink House inspires many kinds of art HERE.

The Elephant's Trunk is a long time Pink House Supporter, carrying brochures inside the store and sporting our Merchant Decal prominently on their front window. Pop in for a visit this weekend! 

Written by Lauren Fitzgerald. Lauren's  memories of growing up on the North Shore are full of many memorable landmarks, and the Pink House has always been her icon of Plum Island.  In addition to her work with Save the Pink House, she is active in conservation groups across the region.  She is a featured blogger for The Ipswich River Watershed Association and the Mystic River Watershed Association, as well as a member of Friends of the Parker River.