By Jorge G. Zavala
Creative Director

CHICAGO - On October 19th, the Tribune Media Group held the 2nd annual Pink Tie Gala, which benefited the Chicagoland affiliate of Susan G, Komen for the Cure. This event, held at the Riverfront Theater in Chicago, proved to be quite a sensation not simply because the 2nd class of Komen Chicago Pink Tie Guys came from such a wide-range of backgrounds and experiences, but because the environment and crowd was fit for a pink soiree.

Guests began to arrive around 6:30pm and were greeted by an energetic DJ mixing contemporary hits and beautiful ladies with gorgeous smiles decked out in their cutest pink attire. Tickets, which were sold at the entrance for $120, were worth purchasing. The crowd of philanthropic men and women and business elites adorned the environment where delectable hors d'oeuvres, savory champagne, and divine treats created a fun and fashionable ambiance.

Chaired for the second consecutive year by Richard M. Daley, Of Counsel to the firm Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, the group of "KoMen" was dedicated to the Susan G. Komen mission of saving lives and ending breast cancer. These men were nominated by the community and selected by the Komen Chicagoland Board of Directors to serve as members of this prestigious group and were honored with both public recognition and a sweet pink tie.

The following are this year's class of Pink Tie Guys:

Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley - who was not in attendance; Windy City LIVE's Ryan Chiaverini; Dr. Bechara Choucair, Commissioner, City of Chicago Department of Public Health; Alderman Robert Fioretti, Alderman of the 2nd Ward, City of Chicago; Jonny Imerman, Founder and Chief Mission Officer, Imerman Angels; Victor LaGroon, Community Relations & Public Affairs Program Manager, UIC Cancer Center; Jim Legothetis, Senior Client Service Partner, Ernst & Young; Reverend Percy McCray, Director of Pastoral Care, Cancer Treatment Centers of America; Wade Miquelon, Chief Financial Officer and President, International, Walgreens; Dr. Steven T. Rosen, Director of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University; Stan Bowman, Vice President & General Manager, Chicago Blackhawks.

The Pink Tie Guys were nominated by the community and selected by the Komen Chicagoland Board of Directors. They are leaders in the corporate and philanthropic sector, groundbreaking physicians, elected officials representing communities possessing the greatest need, as well as other individuals with spheres of influence that create change.

Local artists creating a caricature of one of the Pink Tie Guys and his special lady. "She is taking 20 years off of me," he recalled. "I love her!"

The Pink Tie Guys will serve as ambassadors to the Chicagoland Affiliate, attending signature events and leveraging resources to further the mission of Susan G. Komen Chicago.

The 2nd Annual Pink Tie Gala was definitely one of the hottest events of October raising funds for breast cancer research while looking fabulous. Gianna, one of the guests, insisted she couldn't wait for next year's gala. "Handsome guys in pink ties, ladies in pink cocktail dresses, and delicious champagne - all for a good cause. What's not to love?"

By Richard Chiang
Resident Media Director

CHICAGO - “An opulent soirée de la mode is being feted at some historical spot that I have never heard of......”, I said to myself while ascending the stairs on October 16th, 2012 to the entrance of this unknown building reminiscent of the Beaux-Arts style architecture. Call me ignorant, as I later on found out this place was really something: the prestigious John B. Murphy Memorial Auditorium, featuring the French Renaissance architectural style based on the Chapelle de Notre Dame de Consolation located in Paris.  

So here I was at this mysterious junket, before seeing the runway show, the main attraction of the night, I was already very much enthralled by the sumptuous ambience formulated with the interior décor and the lighting. The dome ceiling, the staircases, the floor, and just about every furniture was impeccably crafted. Adding on top of all these was a layer of nostalgia, well attested by the antique phone booth just to the right of the entrance inside the building.

This indulging moment was soon interrupted when the fashionistas arrived. High energy, glamour, gossips, burst of flash lights, cocktails, and did I mention the photographer star, Steve Starr (that’s really his name) was there taking photos? I said it like it was a surprise, heck no. This guy had not yet missed one fashion event as far as I knew at that point. I salute his passion!

Right before the runway show, the hosts (Corri McFadden of Edrop-Off, April Francis founder of the critically acclaimed Dose Market and Angi Taylor, Morning Radio Host for 103.5 KISS FM) introduced to the audience the organizers Luxury Management “LUX MGT” & Monika Dixon Public Relations, the designer Julius LaCour Jr. (Maison de LaCour MDLC), and a 9-year-old girl Alyssa, whose dream was to walk the runway, and so she did tonight! It turned out this event was a benefit to American Cancer Society. The runway show debuted MDLC’s 2013 spring collection, with an on-stage ballet performance and model presentation by Yana German.

By Amanda Mookjai
Thailand Correspondent

I took part in an official workshop for creative people in Bangkok. The neighborhood, Wong Wian, slightly outside of the city centre, serves as a hub for indie artists, musicians, and those interested in creating fashion.

I became aware of the workshop for creative minds through a family friend who organizes fashion shows in Bangkok. I believe that people need to come out on a regular basis with more edgy, fun wear. The spot is away from the tourist eye and very much a Thai-local studio. While the attendees of the workshop were asked to keep the location "an intimate piece of information" so as to keep the artistic energy under wraps, I can reveal that is near one of the many malls found in the "City of Angels".

Gaew, a local designer, works on a caricature of her co-worker.

Typically, there is no photography allowed in such creative sessions. However, they made an exception for yours truly.

Boy, an aspiring designer from Northeast Thailand, hopes to create a brand that spans the globe. Cute blazer, boy.

Tanaporn, a resident of Yaowarat - the name for Bangkok's Chinatown - uses her Thai-Chinese heritage as an inspiration for her work.

A team of designers and public relations girls didn't hesitate to have fun while posing for Le Prestige du Monde.

Khob khun kha for the invite! Can't wait to have another opportunity to capture Bangkok's designers hard at work!

By Sara Schwartzkopf
Society Contributor

Fashion’s Night Out has been an ongoing event for the past four years. It’s a chance for retailers and designers to host parties, show off their designs, and generally have a good time. Yet the fashion industry can have a tenuous relationship with Native Americans.

This year Paul Frank in West Hollywood decided to theme their event as a “Dream Catchin’ Pow Wow". Party-goers were encouraged to pose with fake tomahawks, head bands, neon feathers, and child-sized bow and arrows. Furthermore, the drinks were also Native-themed, including names like “Rain Dance Refresher,” “Neon Teepee,” and “Dream Catcher.” Even the Paul Frank monkey, Julius, was featured across the event wearing neon headdresses and neon face paint.

There is no doubt that the people at Paul Frank didn’t see a problem with this theme. Natives see this every year as Halloween rolls around, and even more in the past year as fake-Native designs have proliferated the clothing market. Yet the theme has been decried as upsetting and outright racist by several activists and websites. The issue centers around stereotypes, and specifically, dressing in what many have termed redface.

Similar to blackface, redface is used to relegate Natives to extremely stereotypical images. These simplified images of savages and sexy maidens were frequently used to justify policies that aimed to either kill off or assimilate Natives into mainstream white society. Many of these policies resulted in social justice issues that still plague Native communities: poverty, violence, mental health problems, health issues, and a level of erasure that arguably affects no other group in the United States to the same extent.

The problem is that this erasure also affects the fashion industry. The Native American image becomes commodified and imagined to be that of the same images that were once used to justify genocide. Other aspects of culture that are still regarded as sacred are stripped of context and history. Instead they become something trendy. A prime example is placing a headdress (a sacred object reserved for respected leaders) on a monkey (an animal that has also been used in the past to paint minorities as subhuman).

The shocking thing about Paul Frank’s party is not that it occurred. A simple Google search for “Cowboys and Indians party” or “Native-themed party” shows that it’s a common (though unacceptable) occurrence. Instead, the shocking thing is that Paul Frank not only issued an apology and took down the pictures, but took it a leap forward and discontinued all use of Native imagery in their products, contacted two of the most prominent activists (Dr. Metcalfe of Beyond Buckskin and Adrienne K. of Native Appropriations), asked them to participate in a panel at an industry conference, and announced plans to work with a Native artist on designs where the product proceeds will be donated to a Native cause.

It’s a move that’s unprecedented for a major brand, but it is one that opens up possibilities and hope for the Native community regarding how events like this should be handled.