On August 16th, The BE BARE Fashion Show and Auction, billed as Vancouver's Naughtiest Fashion Auction, packed the Commodore Ballroom with a stylish crowd ready to raise funds and raise the roof.

Proceeds from this fashion-packed event benefited Rose Charities, www.rosecharities.org, a worldwide, non-profit organization that works to relieve poverty in some of the world's poorest communities. Among their many projects, Rose Charities has raised money for emergency relief and disaster response in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Indonesia, provided eye surgery and sight restoration in Cambodia and provided funds for HIV and AIDS projects in Nepal.

MC's Dave Dimapilis and P.J. Prinsloo upped the excitement by introducing Vancouver's Supermodel, Noot Seear, who has worked the runway for almost every design house in New York, Paris and Milan. Noot's long list of shows includes Yohji Yamamoto, Oscar De La Renta, Ralph Lauren, Hussein Chalayan and Tuleh. Her photo campaigns include Armani, Issey Miyake, Chanel, Yves St. Laurent and Calvin Klein and Seear has graced the covers of both Elle and Vogue magazines.

As Chairman of the Board of Rose Charities and hostess of the evening, Seear introduced the fashion show and auction which featured both international and local designers. Naughty? Models shed their clothes down to their great looking lingerie on the runway after each piece they modelled went on the auction block.

But the excitement of the evening didn't stop there, especially for three Blanche Macdonald Fashion Design students sitting on the edge of their seats in the audience!

As one of the sponsors of the event, The Blanche Macdonald Centre held an exclusive creative design competition for students of their Fashion Design Program with the winning design and two runner-up designs presented at BE BARE.

Armed with a t-shirt from American Apparel and a $25 budget, each student created their own design based on the Rose Charities theme. The tees were judged by a fashion-savvy panel of judges that included Noot Seear, Raif Adelberg, designer and owner of hot Gastown boutique Richard Kidd, BMC's Office Manager Tracey Payne, and Jason Matlo, past winner of the prestigious Smirnoff Designer of the Year Award and winner of Life Network's "Making It Big". Matlo's elegant designs are featured regularly in Flare and Fashion Magazine.

Second place winner Alexandria MacKenzie's sleeveless black hoodie halter tee featured a red map symbolizing Rose Charities worldwide participation. She placed the red rose logo both on the front and on the cut-away back.

Third place went to Tucky Aalto, who played on the Rose Charities name and swirled a red rose petal collar around her black halter-style tee that ended with a rose petal pocket.

Miki, Alexandria and Tucky all received thunderous applause for their fresh tee designs.

To our three winners and to all the students who entered the competition, The Blanche Macdonald Centre applauds your creativity and talent!

Blanche Macdonald Fashion Diploma Programs

FASHION DESIGN

Sept 24 2007 - FULL
November 14 2007 - Enrolling now
January 2 2008 - Enrolling soon

FASHION MERCHANDISING

Sept. 24 2007 - FULL
SEPT. 26 2007 - Very limited availability
NOV. 12 2007 - Enrolling soon

For registration details & more information about our programs, please contact an Admissions Director at: