For well over a month Keely Lefavre and Abbie Reinard had been working on a special project: Garments of Hope ~ A fundraiser for a small orphanage in western Kenya. They invited several of Second Life's top designers, worked with Sana models to showcase the clothes on the runway and sent out dozens of press releases and 100s of personal invitions.On June 1st, the day of the show, Abbie was heard praying that lag (the problem of graphics slowing down in crowded Second Life areas) would not be an issue and that "please, somebody comes to the show." Keely was running around doing last minute preparations on a runway that had been built only 24 hours beforehand. "I'm hoping to raise 20,000 lindens today", Abbie said, "That is ambitious but I've got my fingers and toes crossed." Ambitious indeed for a tiny start-up charity that helps support 30+ AIDS orphans in western Kenya. "I think small and hope big," she said.
By Noon, the show started and the house was packed with almost 80 of Second Life's fashion royalty including Patty Cortes (whose Miss SL Ebony pageant is where Abbie and Keely became acquainted). With Abbie hosting, the 5 beautiful models expertly paraded extravagant and sexy, simple and daring outfits by Callie Cline (Calliefornia), Giana Paine (GiGi Couture), Sissy Pessoa (BAIASTICE), Bianca Foulin (Bianca F.). All the outfits were matched with shoes by Stiletto Moody and skins by Omnia Oh (Beauty Avatar). The final outfit of the day, an formal dress in an explosion of bubbly textures, was displayed by its maker Iota Ultsch and had everyone in the stands stunned.An auction followed with unique, one-of-a-kind items by several of the designers. Bidding was fast, furious and fun.By the end of the auction the orphanage had raised $315,586 Lindens (roughly $1300 U.S.). "I had a speech planned and just threw it away," declared Abbie Reinard, "I can't even type right now, I'm simply blown away." Raising such a huge sum of money at one event is almost unheard of in Second Life.
What called to the hearts of so many Second Lifers to be unprecedently generous? The fabulous designer Callie Cline (who also was the winning bidder of one of the auctions most contested dresses) expresses her feelings: "Participating in 'Garments of Hope' was a highlight of my SL experiences. From the passion of Abbie and Keely to the fabulous show; it was first class and handled as professional as any show I've seen in SL. Couple that with the undeniable need for AIDS orphans and you have a cause that is truly worthy of time, money and effort. These children are the poorest of the poor, and without parents. There are many causes we work for in SL and other charities and they all merit attention but when one can't even live long enough to get "cancer" or reach an age to "rescue an animal", to me those needs must come first, and I proudly support this cause and this work."
It is also the intimate and personal nature of what Abbie and Keely are doing that is attractive to donors. "It is so nice to know exactly where the money is going. It's not going into a huge faceless account but directly into children's lives," says Annemarie Parenti, the owner of the Best of Italian Style sim. Ms. Parenti was so impressed with Garments of Praise that she has joined with Abbie and Keely to do another show in her sim on June 21st at 1pm. "This promises to be as much fun and quite different from the first show", explains Keely Lefavre, "we'll be highlighting international styles and skin tones; some from each continent will be celebrated!"
The funds from these two shows will be donated hand to hand in Kenya. Abbie is flying there in July to visit with friends and family and to visit the orphanage. "It's the most exciting thing I can imagine," she gushes, "to be able to say to an orphan in a distant corner of Kenya that there are people from all over the WORLD who care about you. This is a life-changing journey."Garments of Hope's second show and auction will be held at the Best in Italian Style sim on June 21st at 1pm with an auction at 2pm.
***In photo from left to right***
Lyra Nitely - Callie Cline - Abbie Reinard - Liane Maertens - Keely Lefavre - Barbarella Fuosing - Mimmi Boa - Lava Levasseur
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