I have a bit of an interest in the fashion industry. Back when I was in school, I did a 1-year program at the Fashion Institute of Technology (NYC) and got a minor in buying and merchandising. It was one of the most interesting years of my life. Lived in midtown the fall semester (on-campus housing), then moved downtown to the East Village with an old friend during the spring semester. I enjoyed Manhattan and all its eccentricities, its art and music scenes, as well as its unbeatable fashion industry. Although I have to admit that I now pretty much dress like a page from the weekend-wear section of an LL Bean catalog.
Despite my lack of fashion these days, I still really like Tommy Hilfiger’s clothing and accessories, largely because they’re accessible to the general population. The products are durable, and you can get them on sale at Macy’s (and Macy’s online) and find great buys at Marshalls or TJ Maxx. So maybe you’re wondering why I’m going on about such a fluffy topic……Well, Tommy Hilfiger, as some people know, has a sister with multiple sclerosis.
Hilfiger, in collaboration with Nancy Davis, an MS patient and known philanthropist, put together a yearly event called “The Race to Erase MS.” This year marks the 15th event. Now I have read Davis’s book, Lean on Me, about chronic illness, and although I don’t think she represents the general multiple sclerosis constituency (lower- to upper-middle class and moderately to severely affected by the disease), I feel that anyone who has the connections and money to help the MS cause should certainly do so. And I’m happy to see that Tommy Hilfiger does what he can with this event, which features a high-end auction (including jewelry and luxury trips) and a celebrity fashion show. Hilfiger has also designed various orange (MS’s new identifying color) fashion items, including a bracelet and t-shirt, and all the proceeds from these sales and the auction go to the “Nancy Davis Center Without Walls” program. This is a collaboration of the top multiple sclerosis research facilities in the nation: Harvard, Johns Hopkins Hospital (Maryland),Yale University School of Medicine, The Mellen Center (Ohio), Oregon Health Sciences University, and the Universities of California and Southern California.
Celebrities form the honorary committee: Teri Garr, Tom Arnold, Tony Danza (and wife), Sela Ward, Don Henley (and wife), Natalie Cole, Dustin Hoffman (and wife), and others. The patron committee boasts even more famous names. The event takes place out in LA in the spring, with a next day meeting (free and open to the public) for anyone who would like to pose questions to the represented research facilities.
This 2 day event raised more than $2.5 million in 2007. The price of tickets for 2008 started at $1,000. It’s nice to see that wealthy, high-profile people are putting their money where their mouths are and using their celebrity to help raise a hefty amount of money for multiple sclerosis.
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