S: Is for show biz bears

There is so much going on, that I forgot to write about one of my favorite charity events. More on Fashion Week tomorrow but for now it's those wonderful bears...Broadway Bears. On Sunday, February 15, those who love Broadway and teddy bears came together for the BROADWAY BEARS XII auction, raising $152,116. Hosted by Broadway star as well as TV's Mad Men, Bryan Batt with Sotheby's auctioneer Lorna Kelly, auctioned off forty specially made BROADWAY BEARS – each dressed in original, handmade costumes representing theater’s most legendary characters. Top ten winning bids for bears were:
$16,000 – Sir Robin from Spamalot, designed by JoAnna Cayot and signed by Clay Aiken.
$10,000 – Alan Strang with Nugget from Equus, designed by Nicolas Putvinski and signed by Daniel Radcliffe, RIchard Griffiths and Lorenzo Pisoni.
$7,000 – Glinda from Wicked, designed by John Henson and signed by Kristin Chenoweth and Kendra Kassebaum.
$5,500 – Growltiger from Cats, designed by Therese Stadelmeier-Tresco and signed by Betty Buckley and Stephen Hanan
$4,000 – Billy Elliot(s) from Billy Elliot,designed by Jessica Scoblick and signed by David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik.
$4,000 – Tommy Walker from The Who's Tommy, designed by Andy Wallach and signed by Michael Cerveris.
$3,800 – Ashley from Starlight Express, designed by Andy Wallach and signed by Andrea McArdle.
$3,700 – Betty Haynes from Irving Berlin's White Christmas, designed by the show's original designer Carrie Robbins and signed by Kerry O'Malley, Stephen Bogardus, Jeffry Denman and Meredith Patterson.
$3,600 – Shrek from Shrek The Musical, designed by Tricorn Inc. & Lynne Mackey Studios and signed by Brian d’Arcy James.
$3,400 – Local 1/I.A.T.S.E. Brother Bear designed by Carol A. Ingram.
Several Broadway stars dropped by to lend their support to the event including Bernadette Peters (Gypsy), Christopher Sieber (Shrek The Musical), Michael Cerveris (Road Show & Sweeney Todd), Kerry O’Malley(White Christmas), David Alvarez, Trent Kowalik and Kiril Kulish (Billy Elliot), Kate Shindle (Legally Blonde), Loretta Ables Sayre (South Pacific), Michael Berresse (A Chorus Line), Blake Daniels (Spring Awakening), Kerry Butler (Xanadu), Jennifer Smith (The Drowsy Chaperone), West Side Story original cast members Jaime Sanchez and George Marcy, Christine Pedi (Forbidden Broadway), Kris Koop (The Phantom of the Opera), Ann Harada (Avenue Q).

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the nation’s leading AIDS fundraising organization. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the American theatre community, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes and other critical illnesses across the United States. Since its founding in 1988, BC/EFA has raised over $150 million dollars for critically needed services for people with AIDS and other serious illnesses.

Don't forget to enter the Barbie Giveaway. You have until April 1st to send me your Barbie design and a brief letter as to why you want to win. E-mail me at suzanna@xplorefacts.com. The contest is open to ages 6-20. Prize will be awarded in time for Easter.

T: Is for things right and things wrong

Fashion this year has some hits but more misses. Charcoal is the new black. Skinny belts are in sex is out. Shoulder pads, the 40’s, the 60’s the 80’s. This is one confused era. Consumers will be buffeted by the recession with cozy sweaters, soft cowl necks, leggings and snugly scarves. Most of the looks are uninspired and straight-forward. Thick, oversized sweaters as coats, dresses, vests and capes are in demand. It is almost like a collective conscious of thought. Layers of sweaters upon sweaters showed up at Yigal Azrouel and Akiko Ogawa. Loose coats came in plaid at Adam and Monarchy, jackets sported hoods and scarves were tied casually. Sweaters are belted, mixed with sexy chiffons and paired with supple leggings or skinny jeans. Gone is the shape of the person. Yugal Azrouel dark rock and roll collection featured, lean linear shapes mixed with geometric accents. I especially loved the poncho coats, the Grecian cuts, the skinny stove pant, the Victorian sleeve and the fur, though PETA I’m sure is having a fit. Terexov collection was frustrating. His dresses were beautiful but the length made everyone look old fashion and out of date. Hitting at the calf, they were unflattering. I wanted to lower or hike up the hem on each and every piece. I did love the beige mirror dress, the fur coats and the charcoal grey suit. Sergio Davila made every male model look like a stepford, prep school gay boy. Collared tailored shirts, vests, jackets and leggings over pants, just looked queer. He fared better with the women’s sweaters but his exploitation of women in the blue dress that let one breast hang out was uncalled for. Chadwick Bell is a designer to watch. Starting to show his line in 2008 this is only the second fall line of his to debut and it is impressive. Bell found his inspiration for this collection from the French classic "Belle de Jour" starring Catherine Deneuve. Using fabrics traditionally associated with menswear: wool flannel, herringbone prints and mohair-cashmere blends, alpaca-wool jersey and leather and mink convey the masculinity. The intertwining of silk and chiffon add the feminity. The leather belts, gloves and cinched waist are the restraint she feels, while the subdued color palate shows the world she is bored with. Chadwick Bell understands the psyche of the women he designs for and that is a F.A.C.T.

Don't forget to enter the Barbie giveaway. You have until April 1st to send me your Barbie design and a brief letter as to why you want to win. E-mail me at suzanna@xplorefacts.com. The contest is open to ages 6-20. Prize will be awarded in time for Easter.

C: Is for Celebrities causing a riot

Celebrity sighting is what makes Fashion Week so glamorous. Society as a whole is star struck and I see it more and more as I watch the paparazzi pirinia's swarming the tents waiting for a feeding frenzy. I wish everyone could observe what they do like I have. You would feel disgusted. The photogs get within a couple of inches from their faces leaving no room to breath. I am truly surprised that they have not been hit more often. It is unnerving to watch someone's personal space become so invaded. Worse is the lies they print. Lindsey Lohen and Samantha Ronson are not fighting, they are in love. Jessica Simpson is not fat, she's tiny. Here are some of the celebrities that have been causing an explosion of flash bulbs. Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke was out lunching with fashion designer Domenico Vacca on the 13th. On the 16th he bought two custom, three-piece checked suits and a silk shirt in brown and midnight blue at Vacca's Madison Avenue store, so it is no surprise that he showed up at his runway show last night, along with best actor Forest Whitaker. At Max Azeria 's: Rachel Bilson, Joy Bryant, Alison Brie, Alicia Keys and staple of the shows Ugly Betty's Mark Indelicato. Diesel's had Nicole Richie and Kate Bosworth. Debra Messing was at Michael Kors and Farah Angsana. Jennifer Love Hewitt at Monarchy, Mara Hoffman and Adam. Milla Jovovich and Kim Kardashian at the Y-3 show, Julia Stiles, Katharine McPhee at Diane Von Furstenberg, Misha Barton front row at The Miss Sixty and Kristen Bell, Amanda Bynes, Michelle Trachtenberg, Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton did Jill Stuart as well as William Rast.

The only person deserving of the pirinia treatment is infamous Jersey girl turned hooker Ashley Dupre. Azrouël was so upset with Eliot Spitzer's infamous call girl in his front row seats, he fired front-of-house PR company People's Revolution. I guess selling your body and not having to pay taxes on it allows you to buy expensive fashion. Someone need to investigate this F.A.C.T.

Don't forget to enter the Barbie giveaway. You have until April 1st to send me your Barbie design and a brief letter as to why you want to win. E-mail me at suzanna@xplorefacts.com. The contest is open to ages 6-20. Prize will be awarded in time for Easter.

A: Is for Art Academy

The Academy of Art University in San Francisco has re-invented knitwear and corduroy at Fashion Week. Showing since 2005, the promising designs are highly watched by the fashion elite who came out in support of this young talent. Among the front row celebrities were actress Nia Long, Miss J from America's Next Top Model, Project Runway's Jack Mackenroth, top model, Asia Iman who also walked the show. This show is one of the standouts; every garment was meticulously cut, simple and stunning. The Britex Fabrics Project created oversized plaids and wool guaze with a standout mohair coat and wool crepe dress. Qianya Martin, Heather Howard & Cat Janky's figurative and sometimes-macabre prints were based on photographs of Native American life in the 1800s. Creating a modern play on traditional silkscreen prints of stripes, checks and polka dots. Whimsical prints of mossy-green trees, pale faces onto shirtdresses, and their textured, burnout print pea coat showed technical savvy. Scott Mafarland mens wear collection was the only disappointment. I can't really see any man I know in pinks and blues in a pastel hue. I-shan Liou (designer) and Myoung Kim (textiles) have a definate point of view trying to capture the essence of “fire, water, air and earth.”The design team, of Emily Melville and Ivanka Georgieva draped silhouettes and self-designed textiles were like pieces of Japanese wall art. Key looks were in subtle voluminous shapes in pale wintry tones and creamy whites.

This was one of my favorite shows last season and it did not disappoint this season and that is a F.A.C.T.

Don't forget to enter the Barbie giveaway. You have until April 1st to send me your Barbie design and a brief letter as to why you want to win. E-mail me at suzanna@xplorefacts.com. The contest is open to ages 6-20. Prize will be awarded in time for Easter.

F: Is for Fashion ala Barbie

'I'm a Barbie girl, in a Barbie world" has been playing in my head every since I attended the Barbie Fashion Show. What girl no matter the age would not be excited at the thought of finally getting to own Barbie’s wardrobe? As part of her 50th birthday (March 9), 50 of the top fashion designers created versions of her wardrobe. Bob Mackie, Diane Von Furstenberg, Peter Som, pink-haired Tarina Tarantino, who has a Barbie collection of jewelry; Jonathan Adler, Annie Leibovitz with her two daughters, Baby Phat’s Kimora Lee Simmons , Heidi Klum and Kelly Pickler crowded in to see the multi media spectacle. First up, as Barbie came to life was a tribute to the original. Wearing a black-and-white zigzag swimsuit, by designer Rachel Roy, the oohs and aaghs were contagious. Nicole Miller's black-and-white 60’s inspired checkerboard dress was worn with white tights with red hearts. As modern Barbie emerged in a pink and white-stripped DVF wrap dress, she proved she was a girl on the go dragging a suitcase behind her. Futuristic Barbie had a dazzling number by Tommy Hilfiger and a shimmering gold Bob Mackie, Cher inspired gown complete with feathered headdress. Ken made a brief appearance (wearing Kenneth Cole, of course), and left a Valentine's Day card for each guest, tied with a bow around "Debut" Barbie, a replica of the 1959 original created for the event. The only thing missing was the Barbie car.

I would like to give the Barbie, the program, a fashion make over and lunch with a designer to one little girl (or boy) who dreams of being a designer. You have until April 1st to send me your Barbie design and a brief letter as to why you want to win. E-mail me at suzanna@xplorefacts.com. The contest is open to ages 6-20. Prize will be awarded in time for Easter and that is a F.A.C.T.