What A Night - The First Annual Fashion For Freedom

Brittany Paige Photography

It's all over.  Our first annual Fashion For Freedom event is done and what an event it was.  Thank you to all our attending guests, sponsors, designers, models, volunteers, and donors. With your help, we were able to raise $7473.60 that goes straight to The A21 Campaign: an organization that aims to abolish human trafficking in the 21st century.  Thank you to everyone who made the night such a success.  If you couldn't make it out, let me tell you a bit about the evening's activities and make sure you check out the full gallery of photos here, all taken by Brittany Paige Photography.  


//Guests were greeted in the lobby by strange looking hosts in pale skin and black lipstick, where they could grab a drink and some appetizers as they mingled with other guests, shopped at the merchandise booths, and bid on an array of silent auction items.  Car parts hung from the ceiling and mannequins dressed in anything-but-fabric adorned the room.  Then it was show time.  People took a seat in the theatre and the lights went down.  A video began that highlighted the topic of discussion for the evening.  "Human trafficking is a modern day holocaust" were the first words on the screen, sending chills down your arms, arousing a sense of unrest, and a passion for change.  The video played on to inform that there are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history, with an estimated 27 million in bondage across the globe.  

As the screen started to play a music video, the lights faded up and dancers appeared with a moving performance of loss, grief, fight, and hope.  Then the beautiful and magnetic Candice Fiorentino, who emceed the evening, appeared on stage to kick off the main event - the fashion show.  Music played by DJ Derrick Johnson began as the models fiercely walked the runway in innovative designs made with coffee filters, silk flowers, mylar, and confetti.  Nothing was conventional.  

Jessica Corbeil took to the stage, to fulfill the true intent of this event, and enlightened the room about The A21 Campaign and the many victims of human trafficking.  She talked about the horrors that most of us have never heard about, and also the power we all have in us to help.  Jeremy Blackwood sang an original song, "She's Loved," that he wrote specifically for Fashion For Freedom.  The song was melodically beautiful, yet the content was heavy with a victim's dark story of abuse, loss, and terror.  The presentations came to a close and it was time for door prizes and to announce the winning designer.  Tessa Stamp won a flight for 2 anywhere in North America for her incredible hat and coat design made from Atlas pages.  Congratulations, Tessa!  And so the event ended, and the support and donations received far surpassed our expectations, truly conveying the eagerness of the community to congregate around a worthy cause. We can’t wait to do it again next year.//
 

Please visit our FFF 2013 page on our website for all the information on our first annual event, as well as our FFF 2014 page for updates on next year's Fashion For Freedom.  There is a full gallery of the night's activities, as well as all the designs.  We'd like to give a special thank you to J Crew who provided all the jewelry and accessories for each model, Volume Salons for providing hair styling, MC College for providing Make-Up artistry, City Life for the perfect venue, and Kosmos Restaurant and Lounge for the delicious food.  Below are just a taste of the photos from the event.  All photos by Brittany Paige Photography.

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FFF Artistic Director and Emcee, Candice Fiorentino, with our beautiful models in some of the innovative designs. (Brittany Paige Photography)

The night's winning design by Tessa Stamp, modelled here by Mark Blackwood. The piece was made with Atlas Pages. (Brittany Paige Photography)

Designed by Paola Cantal using cotton mop strings, a table cloth, car sunshade foil, plastic bags, and nuts & bolts, modelled here by Jaryn Weir. Hair by Volume Salon. Make-up by MC College. (Brittany Paige Photography)

Designed by Christa Joy Hoefling using mylar, modelled here by Shanelle Roline. Hair by Volume Salon. Make-up by MC College. (Brittany Paige Photography)

Designed by Kyla Porter using reused coffee filters, modelled here by Andrea Klassen. Hair by Volume Salon. Make-up by MC College. (Brittany Paige Photography)

Designed and modelled by Gage Boettcher using coffee filters. Hair by Volume Salon. Make-up by MC College. (Brittany Paige Photography)

Our guest speaker, Jessica Corbeil, talking about The A21 Campaign. (Brittany Paige Photography)

Jeremy Blackwood singing "She's Loved", a song he wrote specially for the event. (Brittany Paige Photography)

The evening's winning designer, Tessa Stamp, with Emcee, Candice Fiorentino, holding the big giant invisible cheque representing a flight for two anywhere in North America. (Brittany Paige Photography)