Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2007. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
San Francisco Examiner - September 18, 2007
Elisabeth Laurence
"It's always the crown jewel," says Passport producer Larry Hashbarger. "From day one, it was very successful. I didn't know I'd be around for 25 years able to produce the 25th silver anniversary, with all of the rich history."
The event, which benefits HIV/AIDS programs, is at the Herbst and Festival pavilions at Fort Mason Center. It opens today with a program called "Fashion Inform" strictly for pre-invited high school students and continues with glittering fashion shows and entertainment Wednesday and Thursday.
The shows have been called "fashion theater," featuring the adrenaline of Marc Ecko's extreme world of sports, with motorcycles roaring down the runway. Then there's dancing by the award-winning the Spirit of Uganda youth troupe, as well as a number choreographed by "So You Think You Can Dance's" Brian Friedman.
Of course, there's the cutting-edge runway fashion by top American designers.
Among the highlights: Performances from Cirque du Soleil's "Mystere"; "A Day in the Life" with Calvin Klein's designs; Via Spiga's "A Really Big Shoe," choreographed by Friedman; a Levi's-sponsored musical segment, Academy of Art University students' "Future Vision"; and silver anniversary gowns by Klein, Michael Kors, Tracey Reese, Anna Sui and Jessica McClintock to be auctioned on e-Bay.
Thursday's main event, the Gala Evening, features special guest Dita von Teese. The international burlesque queen, wearing a costume of 250,000 crystals, will reprise a performance-art piece in which she appears in an oversized Champagne glass. Meanwhile, the New York fashion industry will be on hand to take in the designs. The gathering is hosted by honorary co-chairmen Ambassador James C. Hormel and Timothy C. Wu; it is co-chaired by Gail DeMartini and Bonhams chief executive officer Laura King Pfaff. Another special guest is food maven Narsai David, who will preside over an auction of fantasy packages.
Wednesday's event, geared toward a younger crowd, features pre-show cocktails and a post-show party at which guests may mingle with Passport models.
To commemorate Passport's 25th anniversary, Macy's has created special, limited-edition merchandise in silver, available at West Coast Macy's stories.
Noting that Macy's Passport has raised $25 million for AIDS charity, Robert Mettler, chief executive officer of Macy's West, says "What began in San Francisco over 25 years ago has reached into our communities across the western United States and with the help of the Federated Fund, across the globe to Africa."
Macy's Passport
Where: Herbst and Festival pavilions, Fort Mason Center, Marina Boulevard and Buchanan Street, San Francisco
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday; 5:30 p.m. Thursday
Tickets: $85 to $1,000
Contact: (415) 421-8497; www.ticketmaster.com
070918
SE070902
Copyright © 2007 - San Francisco Examiner. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the San Francisco Examiner, Permissions Desk, 110 Fifth Street, P.O. Box 7260, San Franciso, CA 94120.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, Roche and Trimeris, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2007. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2007. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .