November 16, 2015
Bal Harbour Shops
Department store Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour will showcase the spring 2016 collection of Italy’s Brunello Cucinelli as part of a wider fundraising effort in Miami.
The Destination Fashion 2016 event, to be held on March 5, will benefit the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, the fundraising aspect of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, as well as celebrating the charity’s 30th anniversary. The star-studded event will include celebrities, philanthropists, business leaders, fashionistas and others from the South Florida social scene, adding a level of buzz to the night’s primary cause.
Retailing for change
Destination Fashion 2016 also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Bal Harbour Shops, a high-end shopping center in Miami. To pay tribute to the Bal Harbour Shops and raise funds for the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, the night will include a live performance by singer Pitbull, Mr. Worldwide.
In addition to his entertainment role, Pitbull will serve as the event’s emcee, alongside co-anchor of NBC’s “Today Show” Savannah Guthrie. Honorary co-chairs of the event include Grammy Award winners Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Academy Award winner Tommy Lee Jones and actor Christian Slater.
Also, Neiman Marcus will present the spring 2016 collection of Brunello Cucinelli at its Destination Fashion 2016.
Bal Harbour Shops’ Destination Fashion is the only event produced by the shopping center when its doors are closed to the public to host a high-profile, private event.
Promotional image for Destination Fashion 2016 at Bal Harbour Shops, Miami
Additionally, guests will travel through spaces showcasing fashion trends, movies, televisions and entertainment from each decade from the 1960s to the 2000s.
To raise funds for the Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, Bal Harbour Shops will hold a “Too Good to be Silent” auction with items donated by brands that call the shopping center home. For instance, Chopard is donating a $27,390 Happy Diamonds watch in rose gold and diamonds and auctioning an opportunity to join the jeweler during the 2017 Oscars.
Tiffany & Co. has donated three items: an 18-karat white gold and diamond Atlas bangle worth $11,000, a $5,200 diamond Atlas pendant and a $5,250 stainless steel Chronograph watch, also from the Atlas collection.
Proceeds from Destination Fashion will directly benefit The Miami Project’s Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis.
“Each year we are amazed by the support we receive from our many friends from around the globe, and this year will be like no other evening. We are thrilled to have Pitbull bring his unique musical genius to the event, and have the brilliant designer Brunello Cucinelli share his spring 2015 collection with us thanks to Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour,” said NFL Hall of Famer and Miami Project founder Nick Buoniconti, in a statement. “With the support of Today Show co-host Savannah Guthrie, who will emcee this phenomenal affair, and staunch support from Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Academy Award Winning Actor Tommy Lee Jones, Dawn Jones, Christian and Brittany Slater, it will certainly be a night to remember that will go a long way in helping us raise much-needed funds for our efforts to cure paralysis."
Luxury brands are active participants in philanthropic causes. For instance, Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts showed that its Canadian roots extend worldwide with a charity initiative celebrating one man’s fight to end cancer.
The chain’s Hotel Hampshire, located outside London, hosted its eighth Terry Fox Run of Hope on Sept. 13, commemorating the 35th anniversary of Mr. Fox’s 3,000-mile run across Canada to raise money for cancer research while he was struggling with the disease himself. While hotel chains may be global, honoring their local heritage can help to differentiate their individual brand (see story).
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