Beauty & Fashion Against Ageism

Image by Zed Studio7

Images by Zed Studio7, Jarder Productions and Omer Pasha

Friday, September 6th, it was off to Joseph MacKinnon's beautiful Waterfall Building for another great event by LuvNGrace Entertainment celebrating the beauty of women over 40 - Beauty & Fashion Against Ageism. Co-presenters this night include Beauty Boutique Shoppers Drug Mart (Granville/Dunsmuir) and Modern Working Woman. The Waterfall Building is inspiring to enter - light, airy and very chic with artwork always on display. Guests had several booths focused on beauty to visit before the evening's show began, a bar with wine and beer and a silent auction to raise funds for Beauty Night Society. Great tunes heard this evening were spun by Vancouver's own Miss Angel of Boy Meets Girl Entertainment and I must commend her on keeping the sound level at a comfortable level!!!!!!!

Several wonderful women were in the spotlight at this evening. MC Mandy Ross of Fashion TV is a huge supporter of Beauty Night Society as well as a volunteer for this great charity. She actually postponed a trip out of town to MC this event. It was also her birthday, and yet here she was decked out in an original grey sequin dress by local designer Nancy Perreault with hair and make-up by MUAHjwn Artistry (Jessica W. Noejeim).  I was thrilled we were given the opportunity to sing Happy Birthday in celebration. If I had known I would have brought her a cupcake!

Image by Omer Pasha

Also front and centre was keynote speaker Sherina Jamal - founder/CEO of Beauty Through Balance - who offered the audience her thoughts on Beauty at Any Age. In it she discussed everything from what to look for in products to lifestyle choices. The second speaker was Beauty Night Society founder Caroline MacGillivray (who actually led us in our birthday serenade to Ross).  She spoke about how the charity came about and what it offered women living on the edge of society. Beauty Night Society builds self-esteem and changes lives for women and youth living in poverty through 3 streams of programming wellness, life skills development and makeovers - changing the world one life-makeover at a time. In 12 years they have offered 26,000 life-makeovers to disenfranchised women thanks to over 500 volunteers.

Left Sherina Jamal and Right Karen MacGillivray - Images by Zed Studio7

The first fashion show of the evening was by one of Vancouver's local icons, fashion designer Shelley Klassen. She is best known for feminine and enticing dresses created for women with a capital W. From understated to classy, short to long and a softer conservative fit to sexy, body hugging shapes with deep vee necklines that show a women's decolletage - the Blushing Design Fall 2013 collection offers a wide variety of silhouettes for the modern, confident woman. Well chosen, enticing prints shared the runway with bright solid colours- red, turquoise and electric blue - as well as a few evening looks in the more traditional white and black. Versatility is always great in a garment, so it was fun to see the turquoise off-the shoulder dress go down the runway twice - one as a mini and the second knee-length courtesy of cording down the side seams. Models for this show included - Leeta Lipins, Taaja Kayler, Chantal Benz, Jacqueline Ryan, Deborah Stellingwerf, Monika Bartley Bough and Iryna Getman.

Blushing Designs images by Jarder Productions

After a dance interlude offered by Omer Pasha, it was on to the 2nd fashion show - a wonderful selection of Qispi Kay Beachwear by designer Sandra Jazmin Higuera. This sexy line of swimwear was first conceived in Lima, Peru. Higuera noticed that North American swimsuits tended to fall apart from exposure to the elements. After much research, she realized it was the quality of Lycra and went on to create a line out of the best Lycra in the world - that found in Brazil and Columbia. This evening we saw bikinis in a full range silhouettes and colours - both prints and solids. Have to admit the bright jewel-tone fuchsia tone of one suit caught my eye as well as a decorative u-shaped front detail in another bikini top. Models for this Qispi Kay Beachwear include Suzanne DiMichelle, Lolita Roxas, Heather Jo and Leeta Lipins.

Qispi Kay Beachwear images by Jarder Productions

Special thanks this evening go to volunteers Breeanne, Kirsten Larssen & Zoey who treated me so very well.  You truly made my evening special. Also photographers Neil Pelman, James Choi, Rafael Escobar, Rez Zed and Stephen Michael Sawchuck who took tons of great pictures for us to enjoy and media including the Vancouver Sun's Malcom Perry, Retail Insider Angela Krewenchuk and sponsor Modern Working Women. One special moment this evening for me was a chance to dance. It's been a very long time since I used to perform with a partner. When Gustavo Puente told me he taught salsa, I just couldn't resist asking for a little demo. He accommodated my whim and it was a magical moment for me that took me way back. THANKS GUSTAVO!

Left - my magical moment of dancing, Right an image I love as it shows Rafael Escobar at work shooting.
Both images by Zed Studio 7

Also I want to acknowledge -

Auction Donors - Angels and Devils, Artifaax, Firmwear, Rejuva Medispa & Laser, and Tracy Lee Broadbent.

Hair/Make-up - Blanche Macdonald

Vendors/Sponsors - Modern Working Woman, Beauty Boutique Shoppers Drug Mart (Granville/Dunsmuir), Beauty Through Balance, Stella and Dot by Nazanin, Nucerity International, The Waterfall Building, Beauty Night Society, Bella Garnet Beauty Salon, LashFabulous, Skin By Lisa Marie, Good VS Evils, Tracy Lee Broadbent R.Ac, Drama Queen and Artifaax.