Fashion designer Donna Karan honored for philanthropic work
The event: Honoring fashion designer Donna Karan and the charity Baby Buggy, the Fifth Annual Autumn Party by the Philanthropic Society Los Angeles radiated serious star power. The affair, presented Wednesday by Saks Fifth Avenue, benefited the Children’s Institute Inc.
The scene: After catching up over cocktails at 3 Labs in Culver City, guests took their places at modern square tables or cozy sofa clusters for the formal ceremonies, fashion show and “strolling supper,” i.e., tray-passed fare and food stations filled with Wolfgang Puck specialties.
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FOR THE RECORD
Oct. 13, 4 p.m.: An earlier version of this post misspelled Pamela Skaist-Levy’s last name as Skits-Levy.
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The awards: Event chair and Philanthropic Society founder Rochelle Gores Fredston delivered welcoming remarks before passing the podium to Demi Moore, who presented Donna Karan with the night’s first Philanthropic Visionary Award for her Urban Zen initiatives for well-being, empowering children and preserving cultures. The second award went to Jessica Seinfeld, who accepted on behalf of Baby Buggy, which provides clothing, baby gear and services to families in need.
The crowd: Barbra Streisand and James Brolin, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kris Jenner, Chloe Grace Moretz, Amanda Crew, Kelly Noonan, Kimberly and James Van Der Beek, Jill Benjamin and TV host John Henson, designers Cameron Helm and Robert Rodriguez, and Juicy Couture co-founder Pamela Skaist-Levy joined honorary chair Marigay McKee, president of Saks Fifth Avenue, and committee members Christine Chiu, Mary Alice Haney Davidov, Claiborne Swanson Frank, Marlien Rentmeester, Angelique Soave and Tatiana Sorokko.
“I want to thank all my friends for being here tonight,” said Karan, as she spoke onstage of friendship and future generations of children, acknowledging Moore and giving a special shout-out to Streisand. “Barbra, you are my sister,” she said.
The fashion show: As the music began, twin screens offered up abstracted fashion images, rearranging themselves as though inside a kaleidoscope. Models then circled the room in Donna Karan’s 30th-anniversary collection.
The numbers: Given ticket prices for nearly 400 guests beginning at $1,000 and tables ranging up to $125,000 for 12, the affair raised more than $500,000 for the Children’s Institute.
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