Chopard to help celebrate Women Driving America, an inaugural summit, at the 2019 Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival
Hilton Head Island, SC (August 29, 2019) - The Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival will be celebrating its eighteenth event this fall. But it is the first year for a new celebration at the event of women in the collector hobby and automotive industry. In conjunction with Chopard, the Concours will host the inaugural Women Driving America summit to include female collectors, Concours judges, industry executives and designers.
Female-owned vehicles will be on display in the Car Club Showcase on Saturday, November 2 and will compete in the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, November 3, all at the Island’s Port Royal Golf Club. Event organizers are anticipating over 40 of female-owned vehicles at this year’s Festival.
“We’ve started to recognize a growing trend the last few years at our event – an increasing number of female owners and judges,” said Carolyn Vanagel, the event’s President. “The hobby and the industry are becoming more diverse and we are thrilled to recognize the women behind the opening of these doors.”
This year’s Women Driving America summit will include participation from:
Terri Henning showing her 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE originally purchased by MGM for movie icon Clark Gable in the Concours d’Elegance (Sunday, November 3).
Julie Ibrahim showing her 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 designed by Leonardo Fiorivanti for Pininfarina and outright winner of the 1974 Tour de France.
Carolyn Sikes of Peachtree Corners, GA competing in the Concours (Sunday, November 3) with her 1955 Chevrolet Corvette convertible that is one of only a few remaining from the original 700 produced.
Millie Horton from Mt. Pleasant, SC exhibiting her 1953 Bentley R-Type which has been female-owned since 1977 in Saturday’s (Nov. 2) Car Club Showcase Women on the Move “club”.
Joining Women on the Move on Saturday, Natalie Bluestein of Sullivans Island, SC will show her 1953 Jaguar XK120.
Irina Zavatski, Exterior Design Manager, Jeep at FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Janet Seymour, Color & Materials Design Manager, Ford Motor Company will participate as featured designers to include appearances at the Design Among the Stars dinner (Saturday, November 2 night), live judging of the Michelin Junior Challenge Design finalists (Sunday, November 3 at the Port Royal Golf Club) and the feature designer seminar during the Concours d’Elegance (Sunday, November 3 at the Port Royal Golf Club).
Prominent Concours Judges Lilly Pray and Caroline Cassini who both share a commonality of spending many hours with their fathers around classic cars.
Diane Parker, Vice President of the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA), will serve as a judge in the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday selecting the Historical Vehicle Award – “This Car Matters” and offer information on the HVA and the cars that comprise the National Historic Vehicle Register display.
The celebration of Women Driving America will kick-off at the Festival’s vintage racing event, the Savannah Speed Classic in partnership with Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), where legendary female race car driver and Sports Illustrated for Women "Top-100 Women Athletes of the Century", Lyn St. James, will serve as the Grand Marshal.
“We feel we’ve always been cutting edge by offering elements not typically found at other Concours events,” said Vanagel. “And this is an exciting, ground-breaking addition to that list and to our 2019 event.”
The 18th annual Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance Motoring Festival is scheduled for October 24 – November 3, 2019. For more information on the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival, visit the official website at www.HHIConcours.com.
ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE & MOTORING FESTIVAL:
The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance will celebrate its 18th year in the fall of 2019. The Festival kicks off with race partner SVRA at the Savannah Speed Classic, October 25 – 27, on the Grand Prize of America road course situated on the property of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Savannah, Georgia. The festivities will continue on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, November 1 – 3, at both the Hilton Head Island Airport (the Flights & Fancy Aeroport Gala kicks off the Hilton Head Island events on Friday, November 1) and the Port Royal Golf Club, where the Concours d’Elegance (Nov. 3) takes center stage. Classic Level Sponsors for the 2019 Festival included the Port Royal Golf Club, The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, Castrol, Reliable Carriers, Inc., the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Hilton Head Island.
ABOUT CHOPARD:
Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded his own workshop in 1860 in Sonvillier, the Swiss Jura. Since 1963 Chopard has been owned by the Scheufele family with the headquarters based in Geneva. Internationally renowned for its watch and jewelry creations, the Group today employs over 2,000 people worldwide. As an independent and vertically integrated company, Chopard is able to control the entire process from design to distribution through 1,400 points of sale and more than 160 dedicated boutiques.
Over 30 different crafts are practiced in three manufacturing sites with a strong emphasis on in-house training. Chopard has built its reputation on iconic collections such as “Happy Diamonds”, “Happy Sport” and “Mille Miglia” while Chopard’s Haute Horlogerie expertise in fine watchmaking is acknowledged and expressed in the L.U.C collection. The firm is also highly recognized for its high jewelry creations like the Red Carpet Collection, the Green Carpet Collection and more recently the exceptional Garden of Kalahari Collection.
Chopard is a faithful partner of the Cannes Film Festival as well as classic racing events, such as the Mille Miglia in Italy and the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. Chopard is the official timing partner of Porsche Motorsport team during the World Endurance Championship.
According to two of its fundamental values, respect and social responsibility, Chopard launched in 2013 The Journey to Sustainable Luxury: a multi-year program deepening its engagement in sustainable luxury, by sourcing from businesses that are demonstrably committed to responsible, ethical, social and environmental practices.
Female-owned vehicles will be on display in the Car Club Showcase on Saturday, November 2 and will compete in the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday, November 3, all at the Island’s Port Royal Golf Club. Event organizers are anticipating over 40 of female-owned vehicles at this year’s Festival.
“We’ve started to recognize a growing trend the last few years at our event – an increasing number of female owners and judges,” said Carolyn Vanagel, the event’s President. “The hobby and the industry are becoming more diverse and we are thrilled to recognize the women behind the opening of these doors.”
This year’s Women Driving America summit will include participation from:
Terri Henning showing her 1954 Jaguar XK120 SE originally purchased by MGM for movie icon Clark Gable in the Concours d’Elegance (Sunday, November 3).
Julie Ibrahim showing her 1971 Ferrari 365 GTB/4 designed by Leonardo Fiorivanti for Pininfarina and outright winner of the 1974 Tour de France.
Carolyn Sikes of Peachtree Corners, GA competing in the Concours (Sunday, November 3) with her 1955 Chevrolet Corvette convertible that is one of only a few remaining from the original 700 produced.
Millie Horton from Mt. Pleasant, SC exhibiting her 1953 Bentley R-Type which has been female-owned since 1977 in Saturday’s (Nov. 2) Car Club Showcase Women on the Move “club”.
Joining Women on the Move on Saturday, Natalie Bluestein of Sullivans Island, SC will show her 1953 Jaguar XK120.
Irina Zavatski, Exterior Design Manager, Jeep at FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Janet Seymour, Color & Materials Design Manager, Ford Motor Company will participate as featured designers to include appearances at the Design Among the Stars dinner (Saturday, November 2 night), live judging of the Michelin Junior Challenge Design finalists (Sunday, November 3 at the Port Royal Golf Club) and the feature designer seminar during the Concours d’Elegance (Sunday, November 3 at the Port Royal Golf Club).
Prominent Concours Judges Lilly Pray and Caroline Cassini who both share a commonality of spending many hours with their fathers around classic cars.
Diane Parker, Vice President of the Historic Vehicle Association (HVA), will serve as a judge in the Concours d’Elegance on Sunday selecting the Historical Vehicle Award – “This Car Matters” and offer information on the HVA and the cars that comprise the National Historic Vehicle Register display.
The celebration of Women Driving America will kick-off at the Festival’s vintage racing event, the Savannah Speed Classic in partnership with Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA), where legendary female race car driver and Sports Illustrated for Women "Top-100 Women Athletes of the Century", Lyn St. James, will serve as the Grand Marshal.
“We feel we’ve always been cutting edge by offering elements not typically found at other Concours events,” said Vanagel. “And this is an exciting, ground-breaking addition to that list and to our 2019 event.”
The 18th annual Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance Motoring Festival is scheduled for October 24 – November 3, 2019. For more information on the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance & Motoring Festival, visit the official website at www.HHIConcours.com.
ABOUT THE HILTON HEAD ISLAND CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE & MOTORING FESTIVAL:
The Hilton Head Island Motoring Festival & Concours d’Elegance will celebrate its 18th year in the fall of 2019. The Festival kicks off with race partner SVRA at the Savannah Speed Classic, October 25 – 27, on the Grand Prize of America road course situated on the property of The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa in Savannah, Georgia. The festivities will continue on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, November 1 – 3, at both the Hilton Head Island Airport (the Flights & Fancy Aeroport Gala kicks off the Hilton Head Island events on Friday, November 1) and the Port Royal Golf Club, where the Concours d’Elegance (Nov. 3) takes center stage. Classic Level Sponsors for the 2019 Festival included the Port Royal Golf Club, The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, The Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, BMW, Porsche, Lexus, Castrol, Reliable Carriers, Inc., the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton Chamber of Commerce and the Town of Hilton Head Island.
ABOUT CHOPARD:
Louis-Ulysse Chopard founded his own workshop in 1860 in Sonvillier, the Swiss Jura. Since 1963 Chopard has been owned by the Scheufele family with the headquarters based in Geneva. Internationally renowned for its watch and jewelry creations, the Group today employs over 2,000 people worldwide. As an independent and vertically integrated company, Chopard is able to control the entire process from design to distribution through 1,400 points of sale and more than 160 dedicated boutiques.
Over 30 different crafts are practiced in three manufacturing sites with a strong emphasis on in-house training. Chopard has built its reputation on iconic collections such as “Happy Diamonds”, “Happy Sport” and “Mille Miglia” while Chopard’s Haute Horlogerie expertise in fine watchmaking is acknowledged and expressed in the L.U.C collection. The firm is also highly recognized for its high jewelry creations like the Red Carpet Collection, the Green Carpet Collection and more recently the exceptional Garden of Kalahari Collection.
Chopard is a faithful partner of the Cannes Film Festival as well as classic racing events, such as the Mille Miglia in Italy and the Grand Prix de Monaco Historique. Chopard is the official timing partner of Porsche Motorsport team during the World Endurance Championship.
According to two of its fundamental values, respect and social responsibility, Chopard launched in 2013 The Journey to Sustainable Luxury: a multi-year program deepening its engagement in sustainable luxury, by sourcing from businesses that are demonstrably committed to responsible, ethical, social and environmental practices.
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