Liquid Nation Ball: Doing Good With Stylish Fun
Fernando Aguerre, left, of Liquid Nation Ball and Reef co-founder with Shaney jo Darden of The Keep A Breast Foundation. She was named the 2011 Humanitarian of the Year by Surf Industry Manufacturers Association.
The Scene: A stunning view of the Pacific Ocean, where surf legends, chiefs of top surfwear labels and fun people raised funds for an undeniably worthy cause. Sound familiar?
On Sept. 17, the preceding description detailed the action at Liquid Nation Ball 8. It was the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association party/awards show/fundraiser for a humanitarian good cause. And it followed Waterman’s Ball, SIMA’s annual prom/awards show to honor top surfers and the top environmentalist of the surf world. It raised $400,000 for crucial eco-causes this August.
But Liquid Ball had its own altruistic directive. It honored the SIMA Humanitarian of the Year Shaney jo Darden. She is the co-founder and chief executive of The Keep A Breast Foundation. The 11-year-old breast cancer research awareness group spread laughs and controversy with its T-shirts and bracelets bearing the slogan “I Love Boobies!” They are often sold and distributed at board sports events, trade shows and art events.
WHERE: Liquid Nation took place at the La Jolla, Calif.-home of Fernando Aguerre, the Argentine born - founder of Reef sandal and apparel company and current president of International Surfing Association. The walls and the ceilings of Aguerre’s modernist-style house were lined with surf artifacts. Ornate wood carved huts from Southeast Asia marked the boundaries of the backyard. But where were those posters of Miss Reef? The Reef label skyrocketed to popularity through the comfort of its sandals, and through the pin-up style posters of the bikini clad Reef girls. From the 1980s on, these posters and ads were in almost every guy’s dorm room, locker room, you get the picture…
WHO: Along with host Aguerre and humanitarian Darden, those raising funds and getting their party on were Billabong Chief Paul Naude, basketball great Bill Walton, Surf Diva chiefs Coco and Izzy Tihanyi, Coco is the new co-chair for Board Retailers Association. Also in attendance was Dylan Odbert –co-founder of fashion label Ambsn, and ESPN host Sal Masekela
Apparel News’ Andrew Asch and Deidre Crawford checked out the party to blog, to see what surf’s smart set is wearing, and well, to take in a great party. We loved the menu of Grilled Tri Tip sliders, mango purple cabbage salad, and we must confess we drank more than a few vodka fortified La Jolla Lemonades.
Aguerre got in the spirit of things by wearing the colors of Keep A Breast. He was pink head-to-toe. Underneath the fun and the silliness, Aguerre talked up the event’s altruism. He asked the 500 people in attendance to continue donating to good causes during tough economic times.“Liquid Nation is not once a year, it is for all year,” he said.
Watch out for Andrew's and Deidre’s blogs on the beach culture styles worn at the event.
