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Truth and Rumors

Anyone can share truth and rumors (anonymously) with Val. Email Valerie Dooley your news and gossip and if she decides it’s juicy enough…we’ll share it with the TO411Daily audience. Go on, have some fun…we won’t under any circumstances, reveal our sources!!

By Valerie Dooley,

val@partieswithoutborders.com

The Fashion Cares Media kick-off tonight revealed that once again, fashion is not the major theme, but rather musical entertainment with performances by, jaded former mega musical stars such as Mya and attracting high profile burlesque stars such as Dita Von Teese (do youth really care?) is the real focus of the May 12th Fashion Cares event in support of AIDS research. Not to dismiss the 1940’s famous traditional feather dance but OOOOHHH, she was nothing before she aligned herself with that freakdon, Marilyn Manson. Where were these stars tonight?

The media were invited to the Maro nightclub, a recent addition to the newly developed Liberty Village (Toronto’s answer to Manhattan’s, ‘Boho’ Soho district) to hear from the Fashion Cares organizers about the theme of this years event, “PEEP” which will take place at the Distillery District on May 12th, 2007. Many of the attendeees were disappointed with the lackluster décor and the very distinct lack of fashion flavour, which has always been the key focal point of the Fashion Cares event.

Instead, we were treated to a somewhat fumbled video presentation and a scattering of male (and a surprisingly few female) models who seemed to have no real idea why they were on display, other than to provide a sidelight to an otherwise dull staging. The organizers of Fashion Cares seem to have forgotten that ‘Fashion” is the reason why this event was created in the first place. Maybe it’s time to change the title of the event to “Entertainment Cares” which would seem more fitting in the context of what the organizers are really hoping to accomplish, as the event heads into its 3rd decade of existence.

It would seem that after more than 20 years of using fashion as its selling point, ACT has come to the conclusion that the event must expand beyond the borders of fashion. Instead it has come to be recognized as an event that sells the public on the notion that high-profile has-been act in non-fashion venues is the way to sell tickets.

This fact was shortly thereafter confirmed, with my brief interview with Philip Ing’s replacement as executive producer, Chip Quigley, President of Kingdom Entertainment of New York. Although Mr. Quigley certainly brings forward some impressive credentials as a likely candidate to take up the reigns for this annually much anticipated extravaganza, he is not necessarily capable of filling the throne of Canada’s prolific MAC Cosmetic producer, Ing. An impassioned originator, Ing came at it like the devil in a saint’s suit – all encompassing with a view to turn heads. He did! But tonight there was a smattering of heads to even to-be-turned.

In answer to inquiries as to who heads the Fashion Design Council of Canada and to name one Canadian Fashion Designer, Quigley’s empty responses left me soulless and wanting the old times again. Not to be readied with names of our formidable leaders in our fight to make our National Cultural Fashion Design name remotely noticed, let alone in New York, Miami and L.A but to the rest of North America, let alone the entire world-wide-web is an admonishment to an industry capable of huge profits. Shame on our government shortcomings, to yet again, not recognize the international stand that is so closely within our reach!

In answer to other pertinent questions, such as the shifting purpose of this mega funded gala to our local needs, again, the reply did not fulfill. What of the increasingly and incrementally teenaged youth who are fulfilling the former stats of our gay community in the rising numbers of HIV and AIDS patients? The focus on this group is not in keeping with the mandate of its marketing strategy.

Recently, during L’Oreal Fashion Week a press conference held at Queens Park there created a momentary BUZZ but failed in its ability to raise the bar on funding. And at the heels of the recent Government Arts Grant Programs, in keeping with years of neglect, the continuance prevails – no funding to fashion designers and little to our representation on the world stage of international acclaim and dominance.

Make note of our migrant design populace – Dean and Dan and Lida Biday, once household names driven to oft shores for their means of creative outpourings and monetary gains. Is this what we are a likened to – Fear of our own nascence?

One would anticipate such youthful acts that incorporate bold skater fashion, break dancing, graffiti, and sponsors that have taken up the face of our now inflicted AIDS victims such as FACEBOOK, You Tube and My Space!

The rue to this and many other established fundraising galas is predicated upon its ability to transform itself to its times and not to behave as the doppelganger of its predecessors who were incapable of formatting change.

Absent was the crie of the mortified victims of past or the careless a moralistic present sex carpeted youth valkries of our cities and homes in which this issue lies. Perhaps the only juvenile

Let this be a lesson to all not-for-profit organizations that swim in the marrow of the sea of philanthropy as if it was their man-made lake.

As for the theme PEEP – it has been done by longtime local Fetish purveyors, Northbound Leather (well established fetish entrepreneurs, promoters, manufacturers, producers and retailers) whom also are renowned for their annually sold-out fashion/fetish Ball held at the Docks nightclub. As for the theme of dining in different locales is a direct Bloor Street Entertains rip off. Combining great concepts is worthy of mention but with a savvy import of a New York producer akin to the likes of Snoop Doggy Dog we anticipate with holed breath the superiority of which the Big Apple is know to export.

These events have never drawn a youthful attendance which is what the face of Fashion Cares should be pointed towards.

Perhaps it’s time for BMO ($750,000 sponsor) to use prudence, discrepancy and business prowess as to their direction for social consciousness.