Melissa Rivers Hosting FBI Fashion Fundraiser and MAFI Award Event
The fashion police will be out in force at the Fashion Business Inc. fundraiser and awards event on Oct. 16, when Melissa Rivers, executive producer of E!’s “Fashion Police” and star of “Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best?” on WE TV, hosts the event at Union Station in downtown Los Angeles.Dubbed“All Aboard … L.A.’s Fashion Platform,” the event will showcase the work of 11 California designers, and Moss Adams LLP will present the Moss Adams Fashion Innovator Award (MAFI).“I’m so excited to be hosting the ‘All Aboard’ fashion show this year, benefiting Fashion Business Inc.,” Rivers said. “We have some amazing designers participating in the show, and, of course, we’ll be honoring an incredible designer with the signature award of the night, the Moss Adams Fashion Innovator Award. This will also be the first large-scale fashion show appearance of my clothing line with Zappos, The Cool People. We have lots of surprises in store!”
The event is open to the public, and proceeds will benefit FBI and its fashion and business education programs. Showing on the runway are Sam & Lavi, Johnny Was, XCVI, Continuous Line, Liberty Sage, Krammer & Stoudt, Unspoken Lingerie, Magicsuit by Miraclesuit, Miraclebody Jeans by Miraclesuit, Living Doll Los Angeles and Gelareh Designs.“This year’s event will truly showcase the melting pot of the creative fashion community of Los Angeles,” said Frances Harder, founder and president of FBI. “We’ll see collections from red-carpet looks from boho-chic, sporty, menswear, swimwear to, of course, contemporary casual chic, which L.A. is so known for.”
The MAFI award is given to “a designer who displays excellence and significantly impacted the national marketplace through innovation, unique and compelling designs, manufacturing, and/or marketing.” Past recipients include Nally and Millie, Frankie B. and Petro Zillia.
“The MAFI award celebrates the most innovative designers making their mark in the fashion world, and we’re excited to reveal this year’s winner at ‘All Aboard,’ who will join in the ranks of other MAFI winners,” said Martin Hughes, apparel-group leader for Moss Adams, the event’s presenting sponsor.(Other sponsors include International Design Platform, Rosenthal & Rosenthal, Buchalter Nemer, Wells Fargo Capital Finance, Stop Staring, Cathay Bank, Nally & Millie, Greenspan Consult Inc., CIT Group, Ezra Brutzkus Gubner LLP, The New Mart, Merchant Factors, Marcum LLP, Mary Hall (CPA), Shoppista, Designer Consulting Co-Op and AIMS 360.In addition to Rivers, comedian Brett Walkow will co-host the events, which kick off with a cocktail reception and red carpet at 6 p.m., followed by the fashion show at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the FBI website (www.fashionbizinc.org) and cost $20 for FBI members and $40 for nonmembers.
—Alison A. Nieder
