On Tuesday, May 7, luncheon founders Elise and Marc Lefkowtiz tapped Carolina Herrera Creative Director Wes Gordon and Saks Fifth Avenue President Larry Bruce to execute their annual fete, honoring two great ladies for their monumental philanthropic efforts to support the ADDF’s mission: Kristin Rae Cecchi and Charlie Lefkowitz Crowley. The star-studded event is one of the city’s most high-profile philanthropic events of the year, this year raising more than $800,000 for Alzheimer’s research. Notable key executives and speakers included NBC News Chief Washington Correspondent Andrea Mitchell, Eli Lilly Head of Neuroscience Anne White, Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation CEO Mark Roithmayr, Esteemed Interior Design Expert, Thomas Pheasant, and more. Supporters enjoyed a delightful lunch and fabulous fashion show sponsored by Saks Fifth Ave., featuring elegant looks from the Fall 2024 Carolina Herrera Collection.

The Great Ladies Luncheon was launched in 2011 to celebrate the legacy of Elise’s mother, Estelle Gelman, a well-regarded businesswoman, civic leader, and philanthropist, and to draw attention to the urgent issue of Alzheimer’s disease. The event continues to grow in widespread support and include an array of high-profile Washingtonians. All proceeds from the event will support the ADDF’s efforts to fund the most cutting-edge science around the globe and stop Alzheimer’s in its tracks.

See below for a photo gallery of the event.