Fashion and champagne raising cash for essential service

 

BY JULIA WADE

A local venue became the centre of international high fashion recently with local models strutting their stuff on the cat walk in order to help raise money for a worthy cause. 

Nearly 200 women packed Mangawhai’s The Club on May 22, for High Tea and free bubbles as global fashion brand Joseph Ribkoff (JR) showed off their latest autumn/winter collection with all ticket sales gifted to Hospice.

JR’s New Zealand North Island Account Manager and one of the models for the event, Julia Deihl, says due to nearly all the tickets being sold, ‘it was a full house’.

“It was a fabulous and very successful day… raising $4000 for Hospice,” she says. “The fashion show was an incredible success, JR’s garments are an incredible fit, tailored to fit all women, as you can see from the ladies on the runway, they were all shapes and sizes.”
 
The event was a collaboration between JR, Mangawhai Club and Golf Club, and Jasmyne Hodder owner of local clothing boutique Shizazz.

“I felt quite emotional at the end as all involved put so much into it to make it the success it was,” she says. “It was a great event and with the help and support of everyone there will be more.”

Jasmyne’s daughter Abbey Lee is JR’s South Island Account Manager and also MC’d the event. Clothing modelled on the catwalk will be available at Shizazz over the coming months and event goers were given a 20 per cent discount off items instore after the parade and through the following day. 

Spot prizes and a silent auction with items ranging from pottery, skincare and surf lessons, as well as giveaways including gift vouchers by fashion label Lemon tree and Joseph Ribkoff, were all on offer, and every woman also received a JR goody bag filled with vouchers, fa ashion magazine and a full size facial cream worth $60 from Savar, one of New Zealand’s premium natural skincare companies. 

Local band, Otherwise Fine, entertained the large crowd with their signature funky country/jazz sound and also generously contributed to the cause by donating their fee to Hospice.

“It was an event of fashion and fundraising for a great cause, a coming together of community,” Deihl says. “Abbey and I came away with a feeling that Mangawhai has a great community support network and a beautiful sisterhood of women.”

Gorgeous models brought fun and class to the fashion parade, from left, Julia Deihl, locals Ruth Parker, Jan Fisher and Suzanne Anderson, Shizazz owner Jasmyn Hodder, JR model Jane, Abbey Lee and local Julie Neal. (PHOTO/Shizazz)