Last night at Charles Khabouth’ s La Société, Fashion Cares event co-chair Michael King and artistic director Philip Ing gathered Toronto’s high society, fashion media and PR professionals to launch the event’s 25th anniversary. Ing announced to the crowd that this year’s mega-AIDS fundraiser will be downsizing to an intimate 3,400 seats (previous engagements hosted over 8,000 people), and also revealed that Sir Elton John will be bringing an assortment of his performance costumes to display during the event. A mass of people like Zoomer’ s Suzanne Boyd, Flare’ s Lisa Tant, Men’s Fashion’ s David Livingston, hairstylist Robert Gage, e Talk’s Tanya Kim, NKPR’ s Natasha Koifman and more sweated it out whilst packed inside the salon-style bar, leading society columnist Shinan Govani to remark, in an “ah ha!” way, that “fashion people do care.” The setting’s old-school charms made it seem like an old Hollywood affair—flashes went off (in place of flash bulbs and smoke), capturing the likes of philanthropist David Nugent nestled in the corner of a leather bankette, taking in the sights while his wife Catherine chatted with friends. After an encounter with the laid-back Nugents, we ran into Rich Bride, Poor Bride’ s rambunctious David A. Vallee, who was quite insistent that we be introduced to BMO’s corporate donations gal Nada Ristich. Vallee alleged that she’s been bankrolling Fashion Cares since the beginning, but Ristich bashfully chimed in, saying that it hasn’t quite been from the get-go.
Later on, we spotted Jacqueline Hennessy, who greeted us with “I’m not her, you know,” in place of a hello—while she may not be her famous actress sister Jill, she was shining in her own right, wearing a pair of glimmering heirloom earrings. King took a second during his speech to talk about his meeting with philanthropists Andy Body and Alan Hanlon, who’ve been happily together for 51 years. We spoke to the gay duo, who spouted off jokes about one famous publisher who frequents the Summerhill market: “When she’s rough, it’s a three-bag day. Sometimes we can’t tell if we’re looking at her or the meat counter.” Sassy commentary aside, the pair spends a lot of their time working with charities like Casey House, ACT and other AIDS fundraising organizations. As the temperature rose, folks took to the smoking terrace, or in the case of Kim, waited in the drizzle for a chauffeured car ride home.
133921 (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/The-Scene-open-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/The-Scene-open.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/The-Scene-open.jpg 656 437 [] https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/the-scene-open/ the-scene-open 0 0
133782 Director of sales and marketing at the Shangri-La Hotel Alex Filiatrault wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to show off his artfully knotted indoor scarf (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)<br />
Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8704-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8704.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8704.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335283823","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8704/ img_8704 0 0
133783 NKPR’s Natasha Koifman, E Talk’s Tanya Kim and The Morning Show’s Melissa Grelo are aglow at Fashion Cares 25 Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8711-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8711.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8711.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284077","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8711/ img_8711 0 0
133785 <em>Flare</em> entertainment editor Ryan Porter and ex-Fashion Collective member Kate Mullins are taking in the scenery (mostly food) (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8714-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8714.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8714.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284135","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8714/ img_8714 0 0
133786 <em>Flare</em> online editor Jenn Campbell has a secret, or she doesn’t like us (place your bets!) (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8715-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8715.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8715.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284142","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8715/ img_8715 0 0
133787 <em>Corduroy</em> magazine’s Tim Chan knows where the oysters are, and at a party like this—where 99 per cent of people are media, and hungry—it’s the place to be (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8719-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8719.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8719.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284191","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8719/ img_8719 0 0
133788 The crowd was not quiet (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8720-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8720.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8720.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284217","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8720/ img_8720 0 0
133790 Glen Baxter looks surprisingly chipper, but that’s probably because someone isn’t asking him about the end of <em>In Fashion</em> for the millionth time (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8722-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8722.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8722.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284265","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8722/ img_8722 0 0
133794 MAC cosmetics PR girl Jess Way is always working (and apparently, putting her Mac nails in her Mac mouth) (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8735-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8735.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8735.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284606","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8735/ img_8735 0 0
133795 Blogger Anita Clarke escapes the hustle and bustle of a society party to update her Twitter (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8736-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8736.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8736.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284656","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8736/ img_8736 0 0
133797 Fashion Cares co-chair Michael King sharing an anecdote or two (also, doesn’t he look like he could host <em>The Bachelor</em>) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8738-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8738.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8738.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"3.5","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335284941","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8738-2/ img_8738-2 0 0
133798 Fashion Cares artistic director Philip Ing sharing some secrets about Fashion Cares 25 (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8741-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8741.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8741.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285190","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8741/ img_8741 0 0
133799 Jacqueline Hennesy is not her sister Jill Hennesy, but they do look exactly the same (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8747-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8747.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8747.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285658","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8747/ img_8747 0 0
133800 David Nugent takes a load off, while everyone else in the room air kissed and talked about how great their lives are right now (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8748-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8748.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8748.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285723","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8748/ img_8748 0 0
133802 Blogger Nolan Bryant likely asked hairstylist Robert Gage about how he can maintain his hair’s silky glow (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8752-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8752.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8752.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285745","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8752/ img_8752 0 0
133803 Guests squished into the environment without a single complaint (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8753-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8753.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8753.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285763","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8753/ img_8753 0 0
133804 A good society columnist like Shinan Govani always has his eyes and ears open (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8754-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8754.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8754.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285766","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8754/ img_8754 0 0
133805 Philanthropist Catherine Nugent is always the classiest woman at a party (no one else was wearing an ambassador-like sash!) (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8755-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8755.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8755.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285772","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8755/ img_8755 0 0
133806 Suzanne Boyd’s Givenchy jacket matches her hair (what? it does!) (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8758-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8758.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8758.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285830","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8758/ img_8758 0 0
133807 <em>Rich Bride, Poor Bride’</em>s David A. Vallee and BMO’s Nada Ristich are ready to party with Sir Elton John Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8759-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8759.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8759.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285887","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8759/ img_8759 0 0
133808 Alan Hanlon and Andy Body have been together for 51 years, and say things like “every time I get sick, he asks me for the key to our safety deposit box” Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8760-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8760.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8760.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335285979","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8760/ img_8760 0 0
133809 Derrick Chetty wears all black, presumably to commemorate the absence of Jeanne Beker (in Montreal working on Edit) and Sir Elton John (who is only slated to perform at the actual event) (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8764-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8764.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8764.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335286437","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8764/ img_8764 0 0
133810 The Bay’s Nicholas Mellamphy conducts a guerrilla book signing for his fan, blogger Nolan Bryant (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani) Fashion Cares 25 launch at La Société https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8765-96x96.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8765.jpg https://torontolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/IMG_8765.jpg 624 416 {"aperture":"4","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","created_timestamp":"1335286498","focal_length":"35","iso":"640","shutter_speed":"0.01"} https://torontolife.com/city/fashion-cares-25-launch-la-societe/slide/img_8765-2/ img_8765-2 0 0
Shinan Govani is Tanya Kim’s turd dropping
Why was I not Invited to this?
photo #4 is a ridiculous inclusion you can’t even see their faces. toronto life gets more pathetic by the day
Another “Posers’ United” meeting.
Natasha from NKPR is a disgusting representation of PR women in Canada. She is a narcissistic evil with a sorority group of girls itching to cut the next one down.
— Grace Ma