Fashion for Funds: Huge success!

I am happy to report that the Fashion for Funds event on Sunday was an unbelievable success.  Kate Reeve, the 12-yr-old girl who started it all, received a well-deserved standing ovation from the large crowd who came out on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of a long weekend.  The space was standing room only by 1pm, 20 minutes before the fashion show was set to start.  The event ended up raising over $8000 to benefit the children's hospices-Rogers House and Canuck Place.  This was over $3000 more than the goal amount Kate had set out for herself to raise.

The teamwork between hair, makeup, designers and models was unbelievable.  Everyone worked together to make the event move as seamlessly as possible, and despite the many quick changes, in general the reports I heard from my friends who came out to watch said it looked great from their vantage point.  For those of us backstage, it was a hot and sticky cloud of hairspray and mayhem, but it worked!  Everyone was in a great mood, which is always key and the hair and makeup crew showed how well they work under pressure.  Max Keeping was a fantastic emcee, occupying the crowd while we ran around backstage getting our collections in order.  DJ Ilon also volunteered his time and did a great job with the music.  Everyone involved worked so hard without complaint, showing what we can accomplish with solid teamwork and great direction.

Here are a few photos of some of my favourite looks on the runway:

Jana Hanzel



Photo credit:  Greg Kolz



Rachel Sin



Photo credit:  Greg Kolz



Undone Clothing 



Photo credit:  Greg Kolz



Shweta Wahi



Photo credit:  Greg Kolz



And myself

(I get three, mmkay?)

Nautical Swimwear



Photo credit:  Greg Kolz



Le Midi (French Riviera)



Photo credit:  Greg Kolz



La Belle Epoque



Photo credit:  Greg Kolz


I tried my best to amalgamate my three collections into a somewhat cohesive line for the show, but discovered it was pretty difficult.  I decided to go with a 70s feel, because that sort of worked with all three.  I asked Ilon to use disco-inspired beats for the music and had a whole makeup and hair concept involving modern day Farrah Fawcett-esque 'dos and natural, bronzed, girl-next-door faces.  Unfortunately, when you are sharing models with 4 other designers, each with their own concept, and when you are dead last in the lineup it just doesn't work out how you want it to...so a few of the girls came out with not-so-70s hair AT all.  Oh well, you live and you learn...

Thank you to those who were able to make it out to the event, blogged about it, talked about it or shared it on Facebook and Twitter.  It is thanks to everyone who had an interest in the show and the story behind it for making it such a great success.  Kate has already begun talking about making the event an annual affair.  All I know is that I am there as a designer or as a spectator-whichever she would prefer.

xo Amber

Charity Fashion Show: Fashion for Funds

Hey Friends!

So, I was asked a little while ago to be involved in a charity fashion show at the end of February.  The organiser, Kate Reeve, contacted me by email and said she had been referred to me by Angie from Angie’s Models and Talent who I have worked with many times.  Over the past few weeks, I had only spoken to Kate by email and had never met her previously.  She said it was her first fashion event that she has been involved with, but that she has planned other fundraisers before, and I was impressed by how much she had done already without previous experience. 

I was finally able to meet Kate in person yesterday at Morala's coffee shop in the Glebe.  I hadn't asked for a description, so when a young girl and her mom came in the door, I wasn't expecting it to be her.  It turns out that the person I had been communicating with all this time that I had mistakenly assumed was around my age, was actually a 12 year old girl attending Immaculata High School.    I had absolutely no clue!  She is the most amazing, poised, dare I say adorable girl I have ever met.  I felt I could only speak to her like a pint-sized adult, because anything less would be insulting.  I found out that Kate had decided to do this fundraiser after reading a book about a group of girlfriends who organise a charity fashion show….her parents figured it would just be a phase and she would forget about it (I know I would have when I was in grade 7), but she stuck to it and was adamant about completing it despite many obstacles.  I left the coffee shop thinking “what the heck am I doing with my life, this girl is going to change the world!”.  I also left even more excited to be participating in the event than I had  been before I entered the coffee shop. I want my friends to come and meet this girl.  She’s fantastic.  Oh right, and my designs will be on stage....but I don't really feel like that's the drawing point this time.

I want this event to be an amazing turn-out, not because I want people to come and see my designs, but because it's important to remember there are people of all ages making a difference in our communities, and if we don't support those endeavours then we are not encouraging positive change.  I hope Kate continues to run these types of events.  I think she has a future career in PR for NGOs and I cannot wait to see what's next on her list of goals.

Here is the press release that has been submitted to local newspapers:

12-year-old Girl Organizes Fashion Show for Sick Kids

Last summer, Kate Reeve was flipping through an old Today's Parent magazine of her mom’s when she came upon her favourite feature: The Reader with a Cause page. The story was about a girl who was terminally ill with lung cancer. She was staying in Canuck Place, a children's hospice in B.C. Kate hadn’t realized such homes existed. But that story set her into action. The grade 7 student immediately began organizing a fashion show to raise funds for two hospices.

On February 20^th models will strut their stuff on the runway at the Glebe Community Centre in support of Rogers House and Canuck Place.  Five local designers have volunteered their clothes and time for the cause. The modelling services are being donated by Angie’s Models and Talent. The celebrity emcee, Mr. Max Keeping, is looking forward to hosting the event. Hair styling for the models has been donated by Hair Junkie, a local hair salon.

Date: February 20th, 2011 

Where: Glebe Community Centre (175 Third avenue)

Designers: Rachel Sin, Shweta Wahi, Amber Watkins, Jana Hanzel, Rubin Kooner

Time:1-2:30 p.m
Tickets: Children five years old and under go free, $10 for students, and $20 for adults.

Thanks to generous donors, everything necessary for the show has been donated. That ensures that 100% of funds raised goes directly to the kids.

 

MORE ABOUT KATE:

Kate Reeve is a grade 7 student at Immaculata Catholic High School in Old Ottawa East. This fashion show is not her first fundraising endeavour. In grades 3 and 4 she helped run the “Cookie Club” with five other friends. The girls raised over $1000 dollars for the Shepherds of Good Hope by selling cookies by the dozen to family, neighbours and friends.

FOR INTERVIEWS, TICKETS, MEDIA PASSES, AND MORE INFORMATION:

Email  mayreeve@rogers.com or call 613 730 5074.

Hope to see everyone there!

xo Amber