Rachelle and Joe Friedman |
MICHAEL
AWARDS
Fashionistas
Gather
To Benefit Cancer Kids
Story and Photos by Tim Boxer
 HE Michael Awards, known as the Oscars of
fashion, is a much anticipated event in New York. The 11th
annual production honored the brightest and newest movers and
shakers in the world of fashion and modeling.
“Clothes make the man and clothes make the
woman,” said emcee Hal Sparks. “On my show, sometimes
both.”
Ilona Rich and Steve Shor |
This year’s celebration honored Rachelle
Friedman of as person of the year. Her J&R Music/Computer
World was damaged on 9/11, but she and husband Joe dusted
themselves off, cleaned out the debris from their block long high
tech emporium, and reopened to wide acclaim.
The Friedmans did more than anyone else in
resuscitating Lower Manhattan. “We were determined to bring
Downtown Manhattan back to what it was on September 10.”
In fact, Rachelle and Joe brought New York back
better than it ever was.
Pat O’Brien of NBC’s Access
Hollywood, cited as best dressed man, said he spent a day
at Ground Zero. “The best dressed people in the world are the
firemen and policemen.”
Denise Rich |
Among those also honored were womenswear
designer Jill Stuart, accessory designer Dooney & Bourke,
childrenswear designer Gymboree, supermodel Alek Lemons.
In introducing singer Andy Roda of
Virgin Records, emcee Sparks said, “He’s an up and coming
virgin…I mean, Virgin recording artist.”
After Roda sang I’ll Treat You Like a
Lady, Sparks couldn’t help himself, but murmured, “After
those high notes, you might be a virgin.”
It was a fun evening at New York’s
Hammerstein Ballroom.
Lee Grant was prepared to present the
Lifetime of Style Award to Diahann Carroll. Carroll was in
L.A. filming an WB series, The Court, playing a Supreme Court
justice.
“Diahann says when you’re between 35 and
death, you get offered a plum role, you grab it,” Grant said.
Sigourney Weaver and Vincent Longo
presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to Maury Hobson.
Cheryl Tiegs
|
“When I started,” Hobson said, “models
did their own hair and makeup. I put a stop to that.”
Nicole Miller presented Best New
Designer of the Year Award to talented Ilona Rich, daughter
of songwriter Denise Rich.
Ilona, who has three sons, is pregnant with her
fourth child. Mazel tov!
Steve Shor is producer of the Michael
Awards, which benefits the National Children’s Leukemia
Foundation. He lost his son 10 years ago to this dreaded disease,
and has labored tirelessly ever since to help find a cure through
the efforts of NCLF.
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