Nordstrom Grand Opening Gala

Nordstrom kicked off the opening of its first Pittsburgh store in Ross Park Mall with the Nordstrom Grand Opening Gala. The crowd of 1,600 shoppers was lucky enough to have a sneak preview of the spectacular selection offered by the Seattle-based retailer, including five shoe departments and more than 1,400 shades of lipstick. The sounds of the eight-piece band Intrigue and DJ John Grammatis’s ’80s and ’90s remixes entertained shoppers while they dined on cuisine from Common Plea and sipped Black and Gold martinis. Adjacent to the two-level store stood a specially constructed, hangar-size tent. There, two fashion shows captivated guests. On the 64-foot catwalk, 40 models wowed in fashionable fall looks from Vince, M Missoni, Tracy Reese, and St. John. The evening raised more than $220,000 for the signature projects of Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Photos by Megan Wylie