DEERFIELD, IL--(Marketwire - March 21, 2011) - Last week EFFEN® Vodka unveiled their design installation created by American womenswear designer and CFDA board member, Tracy Reese, during the kick off of the DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS DINING BY DESIGN tour. Known for bringing together some of the most talented and celebrated individuals in the worlds of fashion, interior design, art and architecture to create awe-inspiring dining environments, DIFFA's DINING BY DESIGN tour will travel around the country throughout 2011, raising money for HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the United States.
The kick off event, COCKTAILS BY DESIGN, brought designers and VIP guests together for an intimate evening where they previewed the installations. Tracy Reese was praised as she unveiled her dining installation in front of the evening's guests while they sipped EFFEN® Vodka signature cocktails and sampled culinary treats from New York's top restaurants. The EFFEN® Vodka installation embodies both Reese's and EFFEN's design centric ideas, featuring brushed aluminum floor tiles and silver leaf walls lined with live vines which were inspired by EFFEN's newest flavor, EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka.
"EFFEN Vodka is a modern, stylish vodka for those who are interested in meaningful design," said Kim Washington, Senior Director, Vodkas for Beam Global Sprits & Wine. "EFFEN has a strong appreciation for design, so asking a top fashion designer like Tracy Reese to create this installation was a natural fit for us. She was able to bring her fresh and contemporary inspirations to our installation and we could not be more pleased with the final outcome."
Over the past decade, the Tracy Reese name has become synonymous with feminine dresses and print driven heirloom fare that women across the globe can't get enough of. Reese's eye for detail and extensive knowledge of color, fabric and form continue to be evident each season as she consistently reveals timeless, wearable looks that evoke sophistication and elegance. Her approach is deliberate, combining modern craftsmanship with vintage flair, creating a look that is clearly her own.
The EFFEN Vodka installation was inspired by Reese's fall 2011 collection that takes life in sculptural shapes, engaging textural combinations and brilliant metallics.
"I was thrilled to design the EFFEN Vodka installation and to support this important cause," said Tracy Reese. "The brand's modern characteristics allowed me to create an installation that represents both the EFFEN brand along with a touch of my own aesthetic."
Last week's unveiling marked the kick off of the 14th year for DIFFA's annual DINING BY DESIGN tour. The tour includes 5 days of events running concurrently with the Architectural Digest Home Design Show at Pier 94, 12th Ave. at 55th Street in New York City. The dining installations were open to the general public over the weekend and this year, DIFFA will honor one of their greatest supporters Margaret Russell, Editor-In-Chief of Architectural Digest at this evening's GALA DINNER. Russell was the driving force behind the emergence of DIFFA's DINING BY DESIGN tour and instrumental in shaping it into the event it has become today.
EFFEN® Vodka is a Super Premium vodka whose name means smooth, even and balanced in Dutch. It is made from 100% premium wheat, which results in a silky, smooth liquid and the best vodka you can buy. As the only vodka made by bartenders for bartenders, EFFEN® Vodka's bottle design features a non-slip sleeve that is carefully affixed to each bottle by hand. In addition to EFFEN Vodka, the brand line also features EFFEN® Black Cherry Vodka, EFFEN® Dutch Raspberry Vodka and EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka.
About DIFFA
DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS is one of the largest founders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the United States. Since being founded in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide over $38 million to hundreds of AIDS service organizations nationwide. For more than 23 years, DIFFA has been one of the country's largest supporters of both direct care for people living with AIDS and preventative education for those at risk.
About EFFEN® Vodka
Acquired by Beam Global in June 2009 from the Sazerac Company, the super-premium EFFEN Vodka rounded out the company's vodka portfolio. As the only vodka created by the industry, for the industry, EFFEN offers not only a world-class liquid but a sleek, form-meets-function design. The EFFEN line includes EFFEN® Vodka, EFFEN® Black Cherry Vodka, EFFEN® Dutch Raspberry Vodka and now, EFFEN® Cucumber Vodka. EFFEN is sold worldwide and is available in 50ml, 375ml, 750ml and 1.75L bottles.
About Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.:
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. ("Beam Global") is one of the world's largest premium spirits companies, encompassing a portfolio of nearly 100 brands (including 10 of the world's top-100 premium spirits brands), more than a dozen global operating and commercial facilities and 3,200 employees worldwide. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Teacher's® Scotch Whisky, Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Hornitos™ Tequila, EFFEN® Vodka, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, DeKuyper® Cordials and Knob Creek® Bourbon. Growth through innovation is a key strategy at Beam Global, with Red Stag by Jim Beam® Bourbon, Cruzan® 9 Rum, Maker's 46™ Bourbon and Courvoisier® 12 Cognac and Courvoisier® 21 Cognac all being launched as new products over the past two years. Beam Global is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (
drink smart
EFFEN® Vodka, 100% neutral spirits distilled from wheat grain, 40% alc./vol. (80 proof) and Black Cherry, Dutch Raspberry and Cucumber Flavored Vodkas, 37.5% alc./vol. (75 proof)
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
© 2011 EFFEN Import Company, Deerfield, IL
Contact Information:
CONTACTS:
Lara Beauregard
Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc.
(847) 444-7073
Lara.Beauregard@beamglobal.com
Jaclyn Gower
DBC PR+New Media
(202) 292-4574
EFFEN@dbcpr.com
