Style It Up

CHIC at the Four Seasons

Ovations for the Cure continued their successful franchise of fashion show benefits with their installment at the Four Seasons Hotel on Saturday, September 25th, that included a four-part fashion show experience hosted by local stylista Tonya Mezrich.

An installation with Catalina de la Torre’s jewelry in the foyer welcomed guests as they passed through the main reception area and glided towards the room where Asian appetizers and complimentary glasses of champagne were served. Classical music provided the accompaniment to the conversation of mingling guests and Boldfacers.com, with their iconic red frames, were spotted snapping pictures amidst the crowd.

When the time finally came to enter the ballroom, models (courtesy of Dynasty Models, Inc.), ushered guests into the room, a process that, while appealing for obvious reasons, may have impeded the easy flow of the event and contributed to the substantial delay in start time.

Once seated, the first part of the show commenced, a teal dress competition whereby the judges, who included Jay Calderin, Executive Director of Boston Fashion Week, real-estate expert and stylist Ricardo Rodriguez, Heather White, Director of Digital Media with styleboston.tv, and Alexandra Hall, editor of Boston Globe’s Fashion Boston. The prize was awarded to Sarah Prost, a young designer whose piece stuck out because of its eye-catching use of red beading and strapping.

Following the competition, Joseph Gordon Cleveland’s styling prowess was exemplified with his tactful fusing of fur products with contemporary wear and, as expected, they were fabulous.

As Kathy Benharris so sagaciously said, he definitely has “the eye,” and there’s no question as to why his name has become synonymous with fabulousity.

The main event of the evening, the premiere of Michael de Paulo’s spring collection, was delightful and his gowns, many of which featured his signature pleats, ruffles, and architectural detailing, were divine. We only wish that there was more color (why yellow?!), but his innovative aesthetic always leaves us excited for more.

The evening ended with Tonya Mezrich's announcement that she will be collaborating with De Paulo on a new line of cocktail dresses, which we're sure will be nothing short of wonderful.

Kudos to Lisa Tocci, Director of Operations for Ovations, for taking on this huge undertaking, but it would be more prudent to minimize the number of segments in an event so that more attention can be placed on the main one. C.H.I.C. has always been successful as a benefit that features one designer, one make up and hair team, one cause, and lots of fabulous conversation! We look forward to their continued prosperity.

To learn more about Ovations for the Cure’s C.H.I.C. events, please visit http://www.ovationsforthecure.org/events/CHIC.php