Superwomen and Friends – Red Carpet Gala
Photographs by Grace Lau
In November, I had the opportunity to attend the first ever “SuperWomen & Friends”, a red carpet gala fundraiser at Four Seasons Hotel put on by the Women In Leadership Foundation. Founded in 2001 by Maya Kanigan, WIL has invested over $1.7 million into showcasing female role models and recognizing the accomplishments of Canadian business women. In her tearful opening speech, Maya spoke of how she dreamed of bringing women together to share their successes. Most notably, through their six-month mentorship program, young women are paired with business-minded female professionals to share wisdom and gain support on how to be a successful leader and contribute to the overall goal of achieving more female leaders in society.
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Keynote speakers for the evening included Melanie Berry, president of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (think: JUNO Awards!) and the upbeat and lively Rena Heer of CTV news. Both speakers touched on the disproportionate ratio of women in management roles and praised the efforts of WIL in contributing to a worthwhile cause.
Other entertainment for the evening included a live auction with high-end items including jewelry from Tiffany & Co., a CTV VIP tour, dream makeovers and getaway packages. Similarly, outside the main dining hall was an extensive display of silent auction items. From Canuck game tickets, Muzi Tea, Urban Fare gift baskets, and clothing and accessory items from Boudoir, Jolie Mack and The Urban Rack.
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Towards the end of the dinner, more entertainment came with a full fashion show from JC Studio. Nine models dressed in fabulously colorful pieces graced the runway, which started with stylish corporate day-wear. The show climaxed to an incredible finish with each model clothed in glamorous but classy full length gowns in this season’s ever-so-popular popular brightly-colored jewel tones and poised strikingly in a picture-perfect poses back at the beginning of the runway.
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Lastly, the SuperWomen & Friends gala also featured a special music performance by Alexz Johnson and Stephen Spender. If Alexz’s name sounds familiar to you, it could be because she has been singing since the age of 7 and was the 10-year-old anthem girl singing live for the NHL. Or maybe it was from CTV’s “Instant Star” where she was recently honored with a Gemini award.
All in all, it was a fancy charity gala, packed with hours of non-stop entertainment. I was glad I had the opportunity to hear more about the initiatives of WIL and I would encourage you to check out their website for more information! Until next year…!
Wings+Horns – Clothing Sale (December 5 to 7, 2008)
Wings & Horns (formerly Spruce), a relatively cryptic brand of upscale streetwear and casual workwear for men, designed and manufactured in our very own Vancouver, B.C. is having a sample sale at 188 West 6th Ave. I’d be inclined to say it’s one of the best sample sales ever displayed by the label, with stock that includes some of their famous tiger fleece hoodies alongside thermals, buffalo check jackets, raw denim and tees for ridiculously low prices. Sizes are available from XS – XL, and if you go early enough in the day there’s usually enough stock to give you a great selection.
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Collections of Wings and Horns can be found locally at Holt Renfrew, Roden Gray,Gravity Pope (footwear) and Dutil Denim (denim). However, it’s a fairly certain guarantee that the deals at this sample sale will outshine anything those stores can offer. While their designs are usually not out of the ordinary enough to jutsify the regular retail price they command, the sheer quality of the material and details in the construction (No YKK zippers!) are definitely worth the prices you will be finding at this sale. Note it is cash only.
