46th Annual Brass Ring Luncheon & Fashion Show

Marc Bouwer will be the featured fashion brand for the 46th Annual Brass Ring Luncheon & Fashion Show benefiting The Guild of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation. For over four decades, legendary fashion designer Marc Bouwer has made fashion history on runways and red carpets. Bouwer is known for his memorable, dramatic, glamorous gowns that have created so many timeless fashion moments. Judy McNeil will be presented with the T1D Changemaker Award for her outstanding contributions to The Children’s Diabetes Foundation. The fundraising event honoring type 1 heroes is taking place at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel at 1550 Court Place, Denver, Colorado, on Thursday, March 6th at 10 a.m.

Marc Bouwer is a New York City-based luxury womenswear brand that focuses on sophisticated tailoring, clean lines, and a refined sense of femininity. Bouwer’s mastery of tailoring and draping, a skill he honed under legendary designer Halston, is central to his appeal. Raised in South Africa, Bouwer won the South African Vogue Young Designer Award and set his sights on New York, where his talent quickly led him to Halston’s studio. Bouwer’s hard work and versatility established him as a leading eveningwear designer in the U.S.

His style is distinct and timeless: lush colors, plunging necklines, and daring slits, inspired by his love for cinema classics like Blade Runner and Marie Antoinette. Today, Bouwer’s connections in Hollywood make him a sought-after style expert and TV personality. Bouwer has crafted some of pop culture’s most iconic looks, from Whitney Houston’s wedding dress and beaded tour catsuits to Shania Twain’s unforgettable outfits in “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “Man! I Feel Like a Woman.” His 2004 Oscar gown for Angelina Jolie remains a favorite, even earning a place on André Leon Talley’s list of the best Oscar gowns of all time.

As vintage fashion resurges, Bouwer’s archival designs have returned to the red carpet. Kerry Washington wore a red velvet gown first worn by Whitney Houston in 1996, Kelsea Ballerini donned Shania Twain’s 1999 Grammy gown, and Sydney Sweeney revived Jolie’s Oscar look exactly 20 years later. Bouwer’s timeless creations continue to shape pop culture, cementing his legacy in fashion history. Bouwer now offers bespoke couture and costume design through his NYC Atelier.

Attendees can join in to bid on the silent and live auctions, buy preloved jewelry and handbags from the Jewels For Hope and Bags For Hope sale, bid on legendary gift baskets created exclusively for The Guild, choose a mystery bottle of wine from the Wine Pull, and grab your favorite gift cards from local restaurants in the Dine n’ Dash.

This year’s Brass Ring emcee is CBS Colorado News Anchor Michael Spencer. Before joining CBS in Colorado, Michael graduated from the University of Missouri and started broadcasting in Midland, Texas, covering Friday Night Lights. After moving to Amarillo, Texas, and then Knoxville, Tennessee, Michael landed in Colorado as a Sports Anchor at CBS News in 2016. Since then, he’s covered the Super Bowl – including the Denver Broncos Super Bowl 50 win and their celebration at The White House with President Obama – the NBA finals, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and most recently, the Colorado Avalanche run to the Stanley Cup Final. Michael has served as the emcee for the Donor Alliance Donor Dash for several years and loves being involved with non-profits that make a difference in the lives of Colorado families. Since April of 2023, Michael has been anchoring the news desk, and you can catch him on CBS News at five, six, and ten every weeknight alongside his co-anchor, Karen Leigh.

T1D Changemaker Award: Judy McNeil
Judy McNeil, a proud Colorado native, grew up in the suburbs of Denver and attended Englewood High School before graduating from the University of Northern Colorado. Early in her career, she worked for the Colorado Department of Agriculture. Judy’s journey took a pivotal turn when she met her husband, Charlie, a student at the Colorado School of Mines. The couple married the day after Charlie’s graduation and navigated five moves within six years before choosing to settle in Colorado, where they could raise their family. Now married for 53 years, Judy and Charlie are blessed with three children and ten grandchildren, all residing in the Denver area.

Judy dedicated herself fully to her family, embracing her role as a stay-at-home mother. She believes that no external success can outweigh the importance of nurturing a strong home. This choice allowed her to give back to her community with dedication and heart. For over 25 years, Judy has been passionately involved with the Children’s Diabetes Foundation at the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, highlighted by her remarkable 18-year tradition of creating the signature auction baskets for the Brass Ring Luncheon. Judy has also played various supportive roles with The Guild of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, serving as Guild President in 2011 and as the Guild Historian for many years, among others. In recognition of their efforts, she and Charlie were honored with the High Hopes Award at the 2011 Carousel Ball.

Beyond her commitment to the Children’s Diabetes Foundation, Judy has made significant contributions throughout Denver. She served as the 2019 PUSH Gala Chair for the Craig Hospital Foundation and the Western Fantasy Gala Chair the same year. She and Charlie were recognized as the 2023 Humanitarian Award Honorees by Volunteers of America and the 2007 Pillars of the Community Honorees by Arapahoe House. Additionally, the couple was named Cherry Hills Villagers of the Year in 2010. Judy’s community support also extends to the Sewell Child Development Center, the Kempe Foundation for abused children, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and the Greater Colorado Council of Scouting America.

Proceeds of the Brass Ring Luncheon will benefit the Guild of the Children’s Diabetes Foundation to improve the health and well-being of Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes (BDC) patients living with type 1 diabetes and their families through education, support, advocacy, and research.

• The Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes serves more than 8,000 patients from 36 states and 43 countries.
• 45% of the patients at the Barabara Davis Center are uninsured or underinsured.
• 35% of the patients at the Barbara Davis Center live at or below the poverty level.
• Type 1 diabetes is an expensive disease that does not discriminate – on average, the first year of care for a newly diagnosed type 1 is $20,000. This is a heavy lift for anyone, let alone families already struggling financially.
• Nearly 130 children in America are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes monthly.

For more information about the event, visit https://childrensdiabetesfoundation.org/event/brass-ring-luncheon-fashion-show-2025/

Tickets and sponsorships are now available at https://aesbid.org/ELP/CDFBR25/Tickets

For general questions, please contact Amanda Miller, Event Director, at 303-628-5112 or Amanda@ChildrensDiabetesFoundation.org.

For questions regarding the auction, please contact Carter Nelson, Auction Coordinator, at 303-628-5120 or Carter@ChildrensDiabetesFoundation.org.

About the Children’s Diabetes Foundation
The Children’s Diabetes Foundation is the fundraising arm of the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes, focusing on patient support, diabetes research, and public awareness. The Children’s Diabetes Foundation, located in Aurora, was established by Barbara and Marvin Davis in 1977 after their daughter, Dana, developed diabetes at the age of seven. The non-profit organization is dedicated solely to the support of diabetes research and to providing the best possible clinical and educational programs for people with the disease. The Foundation’s mission is to raise funds to support the Barbara Davis Center for Diabetes and its world-renowned research programs, where thousands of patients with type 1 diabetes, children and adults alike, receive the finest diabetes care available.