BILLY REID CELEBRATES FASHION, MUSIC AND ART WITH EIGHTH-ANNUAL SHINDIG

Billy Reid SHINDIG 2016
by Stephen Garner
[metaslider id=118242] This past weekend marked Billy Reid Shindig No. 8, the designer’s annual celebration of fashion, music, art, food, and friends in Florence, Alabama.

The weekend kicked off with “Warstic Presents the Business Man’s Special”, a round robin baseball game: the Texas Playboys vs. the Alabama Slammers (Billy Reid’s company team) vs. the Third Man Triples with Jack White himself playing first base for the Third Man Triples.

CFDA award winner Pamela Love produced a shop-in-shop within the Billy Reid flagship store, located at 114 N. Court Street, which also featured art exhibitions by musician Alison Mosshart of The Kills and artist Jeremiah Ariaz.

Dawes headlined and debuted songs from their forthcoming new album “We’re All Gonna Die” at the Shoals Theatre on Friday night and were accompanied by opening acts Joshua Hedley and Jonny Fritz. On Saturday night, John Paul White performed his new album “Beulah” accompanied by The Watson Twins.
[metaslider id=118231] And in an entirely new direction, Shindig No. 8 also featured the first ever Billy Reid Runway Show in Florence, AL with a live performance by Amanda Shires. This show was produced at the full scale of a NYFW show but aimed at sharing with their customers a real live runway experience featuring the in-season collection and various limited-edited pieces, all available for immediate purchase.

Reid believes this approach takes fashion directly to the customer and creates an aspirational experience that will translate into meaningful sales and marketing initiatives. As Reid moves into the next season, he plans to take the Shindig experience on the road to other markets including Chicago, Charleston and New Orleans. Billy Reid now has 13 stores in the U.S., in nine cities.

Notable attendees included musician Jack White, musician Alison Mosshart of The Kills, model Matthew Mosshart, the band Dawes, Tony Award winning actor Alex Sharp, musician John Paul White and The Watson Twins, jewelry designer Pamela Love, Chef John Besh, Chef John Currence, Master Brewer Roy Milner of Blackberry Farm Brewery, Co-Founder of Magasin Josh Peskowtiz, designer Natalie Chanin of Alabama Chanin and many more.