Canadian designers, celebrity models and musical performances come together on the Dare to Wear Love runway
March 3rd, 2012 — Toronto ON — On Friday, March 16 the third Dare To Wear Love runway show and gala will close World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto with an evening full of fashion, entertainment and philanthropy. Showcasing designs using African fabrics from more than 25 of Canada’s top designers, the show will feature celebrity models and musical entertainment. Hoax Couture and the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC) collaborated on the event to raise awareness and funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF).
Canadian designers will showcase their one-of-a-kind ensembles created from six yards of African-made fabrics, including Paul Hardy, Hoax Couture, Linda Lundström, Diavecmas, Peach Berserk, Zoran Dobric, Lida Baday, Lovas by Wesley Badanjak, Ines Di Santo, Damzels in this Dress, Pat McDonagh, Tina Ou, Pam Chorley for Fashion Crimes, Marty Rotman, Jason Meyers, Izzy Camilleri, Farley Chatto, David Dixon, Brian Bailey, Avioanni, Adrian Wu, Cydelic by Choryin, Rod Philpott for Shkank Inc., Susan Dicks and Co, Franke and Greta Constantine.
Celebrity models to walk the runway include Breakfast Television host Dina Pugliese; Fashion Television host Jeanne Beker; celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy; CityLine host Tracy Moore; ET Canada's Angie Smith; actor Arlene Duncan (Little Mosque on the Prairie); Donisha Prendergrast, granddaughter of the great Bob Marley; and singer-songwriters Royal Wood and Sarah Slean.
At the closing of the evening Stephen Lewis, chair of the board of the SLF the former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, will give an inspiring speech. Throughout the show guests will also enjoy live musical performances by Krystaal, Erroll Blackwood and Canadian gospel singer Kathy Grant.
In addition to ticket sales, a live auction will be held during the evening to raise money for the SLF. Spectacular items will be up for bid, including an 8-day Kenya Wildlife Escapade generously coordinated by the Canadian Kenya Tourist Board, Kenya Airways, MyEscapades.com and VoX International (valued at $12,000), an editorial quality photo portrait by renowned fashion photographer Alvaro Goveia including hair, makeup and wardrobe styling (valued at $80,000) and one year of weekly wash and sets from award-winning World Salon (valued over $4,000).
A limited amount of tickets to Dare to Wear Love are open to the public and available to purchase online for $75 each or $300 each for a VIP package. Proceeds from ticket sales will support the Stephen Lewis Foundation and its community-level organizations that work to improve the lives of women, orphans, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS in Africa.
Website: www.daretowearlove.com
Twitter: @daretowearlove
Facebook: DaretoWearLove
About the Stephen Lewis Foundation:
The Stephen Lewis Foundation exists to work with tremendously effective community-based projects working determinedly to turn the tide of AIDS in Africa. Stephen Lewis is the former United Nations Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, former Deputy Director of UNICEF, and former leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party. Since its inception, the Foundation has partnered with more than 300 grassroots projects in 15 of the sub-Saharan African countries hardest hit by the AIDS pandemic, supporting women who are ill and struggling to survive; assist orphans and other AIDS-affected children; reach heroic grandmothers caring for their orphan grandchildren; and sustain associations of people living with HIV and AIDS. http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org
About Hoax Couture:
Hoax Couture has been at the cutting edge of Canadian fashion for more than 20 years. The duo currently runs a couture fashion studio in Toronto. The courage and resilience of communities across Africa in the face of the pandemic has inspired Hoax Couture to use their skills and relationships to raise awareness and funds to support their work for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Hoax Couture believes the fashion community has the capacity, heart and ingenuity to bring the urgent goal of turning the tide of AIDS in Africa to reality. http://www.hoaxcouture.com
About the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC):
Established in 1999, the Fashion Design Council of Canada is a non-governmental, not-for-profit national organization created to support Canadian fashion designers and the Canadian fashion industry. FDCC President Robin Kay is credited with spearheading Canada’s inaugural Fashion Week. The FDCC owns and produces Fashion Week, now in its 13th successful year, creating ongoing corporate sponsorships, and arranging the calendar and concurrent events. The bi-annual event has garnered international respect and is the second largest Fashion Week in North America. For more information, please visit www.worldmastercardfashionweek.com.
For interview requests or high-res photography, please contact:
Michelle Easton, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 103
or michelle@rockitpromo.com
Debra Goldblatt, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 101
or debra@rockitpromo.com
Canadian designers will showcase their one-of-a-kind ensembles created from six yards of African-made fabrics, including Paul Hardy, Hoax Couture, Linda Lundström, Diavecmas, Peach Berserk, Zoran Dobric, Lida Baday, Lovas by Wesley Badanjak, Ines Di Santo, Damzels in this Dress, Pat McDonagh, Tina Ou, Pam Chorley for Fashion Crimes, Marty Rotman, Jason Meyers, Izzy Camilleri, Farley Chatto, David Dixon, Brian Bailey, Avioanni, Adrian Wu, Cydelic by Choryin, Rod Philpott for Shkank Inc., Susan Dicks and Co, Franke and Greta Constantine.
Celebrity models to walk the runway include Breakfast Television host Dina Pugliese; Fashion Television host Jeanne Beker; celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy; CityLine host Tracy Moore; ET Canada's Angie Smith; actor Arlene Duncan (Little Mosque on the Prairie); Donisha Prendergrast, granddaughter of the great Bob Marley; and singer-songwriters Royal Wood and Sarah Slean.
At the closing of the evening Stephen Lewis, chair of the board of the SLF the former UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, will give an inspiring speech. Throughout the show guests will also enjoy live musical performances by Krystaal, Erroll Blackwood and Canadian gospel singer Kathy Grant.
In addition to ticket sales, a live auction will be held during the evening to raise money for the SLF. Spectacular items will be up for bid, including an 8-day Kenya Wildlife Escapade generously coordinated by the Canadian Kenya Tourist Board, Kenya Airways, MyEscapades.com and VoX International (valued at $12,000), an editorial quality photo portrait by renowned fashion photographer Alvaro Goveia including hair, makeup and wardrobe styling (valued at $80,000) and one year of weekly wash and sets from award-winning World Salon (valued over $4,000).
A limited amount of tickets to Dare to Wear Love are open to the public and available to purchase online for $75 each or $300 each for a VIP package. Proceeds from ticket sales will support the Stephen Lewis Foundation and its community-level organizations that work to improve the lives of women, orphans, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS in Africa.
Website: www.daretowearlove.com
Twitter: @daretowearlove
Facebook: DaretoWearLove
About the Stephen Lewis Foundation:
The Stephen Lewis Foundation exists to work with tremendously effective community-based projects working determinedly to turn the tide of AIDS in Africa. Stephen Lewis is the former United Nations Special Envoy on HIV/AIDS in Africa, former Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations, former Deputy Director of UNICEF, and former leader of the Ontario New Democratic Party. Since its inception, the Foundation has partnered with more than 300 grassroots projects in 15 of the sub-Saharan African countries hardest hit by the AIDS pandemic, supporting women who are ill and struggling to survive; assist orphans and other AIDS-affected children; reach heroic grandmothers caring for their orphan grandchildren; and sustain associations of people living with HIV and AIDS. http://www.stephenlewisfoundation.org
About Hoax Couture:
Hoax Couture has been at the cutting edge of Canadian fashion for more than 20 years. The duo currently runs a couture fashion studio in Toronto. The courage and resilience of communities across Africa in the face of the pandemic has inspired Hoax Couture to use their skills and relationships to raise awareness and funds to support their work for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Hoax Couture believes the fashion community has the capacity, heart and ingenuity to bring the urgent goal of turning the tide of AIDS in Africa to reality. http://www.hoaxcouture.com
About the Fashion Design Council of Canada (FDCC):
Established in 1999, the Fashion Design Council of Canada is a non-governmental, not-for-profit national organization created to support Canadian fashion designers and the Canadian fashion industry. FDCC President Robin Kay is credited with spearheading Canada’s inaugural Fashion Week. The FDCC owns and produces Fashion Week, now in its 13th successful year, creating ongoing corporate sponsorships, and arranging the calendar and concurrent events. The bi-annual event has garnered international respect and is the second largest Fashion Week in North America. For more information, please visit www.worldmastercardfashionweek.com.
For interview requests or high-res photography, please contact:
Michelle Easton, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 103
or michelle@rockitpromo.com
Debra Goldblatt, rock-it promotions, inc., at 416.656.0707 ext. 101
or debra@rockitpromo.com