San Francisco – Since 2005, Discarded to Divine, a charitable fashion event benefiting the San Francisco St. Vincent de Paul Society, has been delivering fashion enthusiasts one-of-a-kind designer confections through silent and live auctions. This year, the silent auction featured more than 100 items and the live auction had 18.
Camellia Raspberry dress by Jennifer Stormont (Silent Auction)
Held at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Pacific Heights, the live charity auction kicked off with the raffle of a 4.5 karat ‘Ruby Rock’ ring from eco-friendly jeweler Stuart Berger Designs, and master of ceremonies Nick Smith from ABC7 “View from the Bay” imploring the crowd to join him in singing happy birthday to his 67 year-old mother, Rosetta, via his iPhone.
Guests exuded style and panache and came decked in festive regalia, from feathered hats to over-sized brooches; they were on the scene to be seen. Alexandria Zyo, a milliner, wore a fur lavender hat embellished with a rhinestone brooch that she designed. She explained that she loved the uniqueness of the designer pieces that she saw during the live auction.
Alexandria Zyo, Milliner and Painter
For the fifth year, there was a cornucopia of avant garde creations from local and international fashion designers, made from vintage and recycled materials, ranging from linen table cloths to satin bedding.
Two looks presented during the live auction were from “Project Runway” contestants Sweet P. Vaughn (Season 4) and Jay Nicolas Sario (Season 7).
Vaughn designed a gray halter style lace cocktail dress lined in yellow, with a gray satin band around the waist that tied in the back. The dress was fashioned from scraps of lace and lined with fabric from pants and a shirt, and went for $650.
Sario created a wool military-inspired vest and skirt ensemble entitled, ‘Madame Militaire.’ The look featured an Eisenhower-style jacket fashioned into a zip-front skirt. The two-piece suit went for $550.
Sponsor Fiji Water also had a live auction item, a teal halter dress embellished with pieces in geometric shapes. The form-fitting dress went for $450.
Fuji Water Dress
A vest and skirt suit entitled ‘Dear Luba,’ designed by Academy of Art University student Laone Batshoma, was a collage ensemble in mustard and khaki hues. It was a patchwork piece constructed from various fabrics including leather. The piece was inspired by sculptures of the ‘Art and Power of the Central African Savanna Collection.’ The design went for $475.
The big ticket item, going for $1,500, was the Jill Giordano and Brian Scheyer ‘Criss-Cross Coat.’ The contemporary piece was designed using linen table cloths in off-white and taupe. The coat had criss-cross detailing in the back and on the sides. It was accessorized with a coordinating wide belt with silver-tone hardware.
Adelle McElveen, who attended the event with her sister, described the live auction as exciting. “I had never been to one [auction] before and it was so much fun to participate,” she said. “It really helped knowing all the money I was offering to spend was going to such great causes.”
McElveen bid on two items and for $400, won the ‘Aurelio Deep and Secret Things II,’ a jacket and dress combo designed with a patchwork design, trimmed with fur and ribbons that she plans to split with her sister — she’s getting the jacket.
The live auction segment of the charitable event raised $11,500.
Here are some images from the event:
(Photo credits: The Chic Spy)
Chicly Yours,
The Chic Spy
Thank you for recognizing the true spirit of this project. People doing what they love to help those who are most in need…