Fashion Cares is soon upon us and I attended the media preview last Wednesday evening at Maro in Liberty Village. I was in no mood to dress up that day and arrived in jeans, tshirt and a hoodie. When I got home from work, I immediately changed into something more comfortable. I was the most dressed down person in the place and stuck out like a sore thumb, it was comical.

The 21st edition of Fashion Cares, Toronto's annual gala in support of AIDS Committee of Toronto (ACT) will move from the Metro Convention Centre to the intimate Distillery District. The event will be outdoors and tented.

This year's theme PEEP takes inspiration from burlesque. They are calling the show neo-burlesque - "a glimpse into the future of burlesque while preserving its origins." We can expect traditional fabrics like satin, lace, fishnets and feathers fused with futuristic elements like leather, metal, vinyl and latex. Guests are encouraged to dress neo-burlesque and should take cues from Bettie Page, Barbarella, Tempest Storm and 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The PEEP commercial was unveiled and it's very stylized and sexy. I like both the visual and music choices. They are already playing the commercial on the elevator TVs in my office building. The website is styled after the commercial. I don't like flash based sites all that much because they take a long time to load and the Fashion Cares site is no different. I managed to download the posters after receiving some errors and I'm posting them here for you to see. I like the PEEP branding treatment.

The entertainer I'm most excited about this year is Dita Von Teese. She's a perfect fit and will be performing her famous martini glass routine. Others performers include Bedouin Soundclash, Girlicious, Roberto Campanella, Mya and Kelly Rowan. Topping off the night is host, Jay Manuel (Canada's Next Top Model).

Admission ($175) includes a cocktail reception, shopping at the Fashion Cares Boutique, live and silent auctions, the PEEP show and after party. Gala ticket holders ($1000) will enjoy a gala cocktail reception and dinner at the various venues in the district instead of in a single dining area. They can choose from 13 different venues with their own distinct atmosphere and ambiance. Venues include Archeo Trattoria, Artcore, Blue Dot, Boiler House Complex, Corkin Gallery, Fermenting Cellar, Fluid Living, Mill Street Brewery, Perigee, Pure Spirits Oyster House & Grill, Thompson Landry Gallery. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster. Tickets can be purchased for the after party only too ($75).

Additional Fashion Cares links
Pictures of the HBC PEEP windows
www.fashioncares.com
www.actoronto.org

images: me (Thx Gail!) and www.fashioncares.com