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FGI San
Diego - A Night of Stars!
April 10th, 2006
The Social Diary Columnist & Photographer
Margo Schwab
(page 1 of 2 pages)
The Fashion Group
International of San Diego, FGI San Diego as it is known,
hosted the Tenth Annual Style Awards Gala at the Sheraton San
Diego Hotel and Marina April 1st, 2006. The theme, Night
of Stars began with cocktails, conversation and
more.
One smart and chicly dressed
guest didn't miss a beat on the event's date and theme."EXTREMELY
EXCITING and FABULOUSLY FASHIONABLE! 'NO FOOLIN!'” said
Sally B. Thornton. Sally accessorized her suit with
a fun and feathery boa. Color coordinated of course.
KUSI's news anchor and FGI guest
celebrity model Aimee Fuller agreed with Sally, and added
this."Fashion has never been more fun! What a great job the
FGI Group does. San Diego is lucky to have them working in the
community."
And the event was lucky to have some very
special guests there as well. Headline celebrity designer to the
young and the fashionable, Trina Turk, was there
with her friend Jonathan. In fact Trina has a lot of "friends."
Trina's designs are a favorite of many, including television's
Friends star Jennifer Aniston. Ironically Jennifer's
current movie, Friends With
Money comes out this month.
(photo of Jennifer Anniston
- courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics)
San Diegans receiving special fashion awards
included Leonard Simpson of the international Fashion
Forward. Leonard is also known as the very
popular "Style Guy" for KUSI television. Leonard
wore a custom Trina Turk jacket printed in vibrant Indian colors.
He took it up a notch though Emeril style. Leonard added some
heat by wearing a beautiful turquoise shirt underneath which matched
the color of his eyes.
(pictured here - "Marilyn"
with Scott Johnston, Brittany with her father and honoree, Leonard
Simpson, Jessica and her mother, Mary Johnson)
Others honored this night were Joy
Sprink, Regina Kurtz, Rachelle Graefen, Mary Montgomery Johnson,
and Karen Rowley, and Andrea Naversen of KUSI.
Community Volunteer awardee Mary
Montgomery Johnson had this to say. "What a wonderful
event! FGI did a marvelous job of celebrating the success of so
many talented and giving people in the fashion industry while
also raising funds to fight cancer. It was a joyous evening! I
felt very humbled and honored to receive a Style Award for Community
Outreach in the company of so many talented, giving people."
(pictured here - designer
Fedor, Jonathan, Trina Turk and Diana Cavagnaro, Rod Casey and
his wife Karolyn Kovtun)
(pictured here - Sally and
John Thornton of Thornton Winery, Dr. Mitchel P. Goldman and Dianne
York- Goldman of La Jolla Spa MD, Dianne is wearing a Sue Wong
gown, Lee Maturo)
(pictured here - well dressed
guests, Lael and Jay Kovtun, Aimee Fuller)
The evening was about more than just fashion
and awards though. FGI San Diego helps provide scholarships to
students earning degrees in majors leading to careers in the fashion
industry. This event also raised important monies for the Ida
M. and Cecil H. Green Cancer Center of Scripps Clinic's Division
of Hematology/Oncology. The Center's Director, Dr.
Alan Saven, noted that over a third of San Diegan cancer
patients come to the Green Cancer Center for the critical care
they need. Research breakthroughs and more cancer detecting equipment
will be funded in part by this event.
Awardees for the fashion scholarships were:
Tasha Beckman from Fashion Careers College, Tannia
Herroz from the Fashion Institute of Design, and Merchandising
and Petra Ostermuenchner from San Diego Mesa
College.
(pictured here - Andrea
Naversen and Dwight, Scott Johnston with Rod Casey and his wife
Karolyn Kovtun)
Dinner started with a limestone bibb lettuce
and Belgian endive salad with sliced tomato and creamy tarragon
dressing. A delicious Chicken Wellington was served up for the
entree with grilled vegetables and a vegan red pepper sauce. A
Chocolate dessert martini sweetened the night.
And then it was time for the live auction.
Joe Bauer presided and
enticed bidders to go big for charity. Some of the enticements
included a "Girls Night Out for 8." This package included
a luxe spa night for eight at the #1 rated medical spa in America,
La Jolla Spa MD. Facials, DYG Mineral
Makeup, skin analysis, gentlewaves photomodulations and
more went to one lucky bidder and her girlfriends. Another popular
auction item was an African photo safari to Zululand. One week
of animal filled adventure!
Priceless though were the faces of the
cancer survivor models during the fashion show. Prettily
made up for the show in DYG Mineral Makeup were Priscilla Allen,
Sherry Bittner-Brown, Eve Hager, Shelia Rosen, Susan Shofner and
Margaret Vaughan. Their smiles said it all as they walked
up and down the runway.
(pictured here - Aimee Fuller
and Pat Brown with top hatted gents)
(pictured here - Nicole
Miller designs)
The cancer thrivers will soon followed
by more models and fashions. Trina Turk of course was included.
She showed her animal print and khaki designs. Perfect for that
African safari mentioned above.
More fashions on the runway included Nicole
Miller, Betsy Johnson, swimwear sensations from Brigitte Couture,
Eurochild, Holly Lauren, The Gentlemen's Tux Club, Tosca, Chara
Designs and Fedor. Fedor gives couture a new glamorous
edge with luxe fabrics cut and stitched to perfection.
There was fabulous singing during the show
including great vocals from Chrissy Burns, Andria Elam,
Khara Rice and 10 year old scene stealer, Frances
Florendo. Someone sign this 'young Sinatra'
to a recording deal fast!
The entire evening was truly a Night
of Stars.
(pictured here - Brigitte
Couture swimwear and the designer Brigitte)
Dianne York-Goldman had
this to say. "The FGI Gala was a smashing success! Each year,
the caliber of award winners grows more and more impressive. I
was so proud to see friends, such as Andrea Naversen and
Leonard Simpson receive their Style Awards. Andrea's
acceptance speech for her media award was just as eloquent as
those you see during the Oscars! The evening's hostess,
Sandra Maas looked divine in her melon colored gown.
The fashion show was very entertaining and enjoyed by ALL in attendance.
This is an event not to be missed and one that benefits a wonderful
cause!" .... fyi, Dianne and her husband Dr. Mitchel
P. Goldman generously provided the medical 'spa-licious'
goody bags too!
“Style Awards...”Night
of Stars” is proof that Fashion is alive and well in San
Diego,” summed it up Diana Cavagnaro.
This FGI event had a plethora of ingredients
that meshed well, all due to the skillful organization of the
Chairs and Event Committee. Among them were pretty Co-Chairs
Connie Conard and Gretchen Bergman. Gretchen produced
and choreographed the fashion show segment as well. Also helping
out immensely were Diana Cavagnaro, she owns
Designer Millinery aka www.aheadproductions.com,
Peggy Matthews, Sherry Bittner Brown, and oh
so many more. All contribute towards the future of fashion, and
a future without cancer.
For more FGI 2006
photos click HERE
Links to FGI
and Scripps
Clinic
* Margo Schwab has
produced, written, interviewed and photographed for various media
organizations since 1989. Schwab has an college degree
from Scripps College and a Masters of Business
degree from the University of San Diego.
Schwab volunteers for numerous charity organizations. She also
continues to lobby for water safety and for family violence mitigation.
Schwab is the owner and publisher of the Social Diary.
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