To close LG Fashion Week, designers Chris Tyrell and Jim Searle of Hoax Couture partnered with the Fashion Design Council of Canada to present the Dare to Wear Love Gala, showcasing fashions from 25 Canadian designers in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Friday's gala coincided with a fund-raising campaign dubbed A Dare to Remember, an initiative spearheaded by the charity that encourages Canadians to accept dares and collect pledges for the nonprofit organization, which works to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa.
In the spirit of the campaign, event producers Hoax Couture provided designers like Evan Biddell, Brian Bailey, and Linda Lundström with fabric sourced from countries throughout Africa and dared them to create a design for the runway show. Celebrity models including singer Jully Black, eTalk host Traci Melchor, and MTV Canada host Jessi Cruickshank walked the catwalk.
Stephen Lewis, a former United Nations Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, shared statistics about the spread of HIV/AIDS in Africa during a presentation prior to the runway show, which included performances by hang player Iven Simonetti, drummers Group Soumé, and the Nathaniel Dett Chorale.
All of the designs will be auctioned off to benefit the charity at a later date. Cineplex Media presented the event and Rock-it Promotions handled the PR.
