#AAFA2014 36th Annual American Image Awards

The Grand Hyatt Hotel/NYC

thumbs up-staff and Special Olympic Winners from NY area

The 36th annual American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) American Image Awards honored excellence in footwear and apparel industries with a stellar line-up of award winners last night.

The beneficiary- the Special Olympics an internationally active non-profit organization, founded in 1968-that "…through the power of sports... reveals the champions in all of us…" including children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Providing year round training and competitions…in 32 individual and team sports…the positive emphasis is always on what the athletes "...CAN do, not what they can't."

A few pictures we took of award winners-and very glad to be there-attendees...

on left-Special Olympics CEO Janet Froetscher-with DC based Fashion Designer Aswad Abasi-and yes, he custom made the dress! A chance meeting on a plane---results in sophisticated, flawlessly made and glamorous, tailored perfection.

honoree Robert Stock, Co-Chairman & Chief creative Officer of Robert Graham®…wearing a " classic" jacket-with pumped up kicks.

Trio of fabulous fashion apparel and footwear talent in this pic. Seriously. Far L-R-Honorees-Steve Cox and Daniel Silver of Duckie Brown (CFDA nominees too---still have and wear a cherished green tee-we got at our first Duckie Brown NYFW runway show-back in Feb. 2007!) New for the duo- womenswear…
...and the beyond talented Shoe Designer Ruthie Davis---in an Alexander McQueen dress -and wearing a pair of her own sculptured creations (as do many Red Carpet celebs). Scroll down for pictures of the pumps of our dreams.

In our minds-for a moment--THE man of the moment-safe-keeping honoree Ruthie Davis' purse. What a great guy.

Honorees-far right+far left-Denim wear Brand of the Year-fittingly from the premium+ amazingly fit jeans (we vouch for their new Microsculpt offerings)... DL1961-Creative Director Sarah Ahmed and Director Zahra Ahmed-with a supporter-nice trio-as if they coordinated their winning black and white color wardrobes..

Supima® Cotton was honored as Premium Fiber Brand of the Year-appropriate, a company member looks ready for summer in a handsome Thome Browne-Brooks Brothers crisp white/navy blazer…made of Supima® Cotton of course. AND this super soft durable cotton-is made in the USA…!

IMO: Athlete fav of the night-the two time Olympic medal winner, World Champion and nine time USA Champion figure skater Michelle Kwan-posing with "family" ---aka-all of the Special Olympic attendees -patiently- offering up the best selfies (and camera tips) for all of the smartphone toting moms.

Currently residing in Rhode Island -Kwan has been a very active supporter of the Special Olympics for 20 years. Bravo to that!

Academy Award winning actress and event host Marlee Matlin-graciously shared some of the spotlight with the athletes too.

Marlee Maitlin with Karen Bromley of TBG

Man of the Year honoree Managing Partner of Tengram Capital-with his too young looking to be father, father…and wife…pictured below-wearing Calvin Klein (of course, we asked-what a great dress!)

FUN---Award winning USA Olympic medalists and Special Olympics' staff members---on left-Figure skater/ graduate student Michelle Kwan…and in the middle right-NBA great (18 years-WOW), Olympic Gold medal winner and co-captain of the 1984 USA team, 1982 NCAA champ- North Carolina Tar Heels - with teammates/later NBA Hall of Famers Michael Jordan and James Worthy (no wonder they won), and Brooklyn native, Sam Perkins.

These two guys were recapping some admired Sam Perkins' basketball career highlights with the athlete himself…REALLY just a sliver-otherwise the convo would have gone on for hours.

Kristen Wise-Special Olympics Manager---on left-and another splendid example of wardrobe color coordination

The invitation smartly mentioned that "festive black tie and sneakers"-were optional…though of course-the footwear wearing crowd often opted for comfy, colorful lifestyle kicks...

DKNY

Byron Simon

Appropriately enough, footwear designer Ruthie Davis had on the most glamorous peep toe platform pumps…probably ever made.

Ruthie Davis-shoes. Hand crafted in Italy-the spike details might be handy on a crowded subway…though we think these SPIKETTE shoes are so special-they deserved to be seen, not felt.