The Lanvin for H&M collaboration has stirred up much excitement for the fashionably minded, not just for the collection, but for the charitable works involved.  Alber Elbaz has designed an organic cotton tote for the All for the Children campaign created by H&M and UNICEF.  Thirty percent of the price of the bag will be donated to the charity, and they will be sold at all H&M womenwear locations.  In addition, 25 pieces from the H&M for Lanvin venture will be made into an haute couture collection and sold at auction.  The proceeds from the auction will also benefit UNICEF. 

Jennifer Lopez was a wardrobe quick change artist at the Carousel of Hope Ball.  First she arrived in a beaded George Chakra gown, then changed into a metallic haute couture Zuhair Murad minidress for her on stage performance.  It was all about sparkle and embellishment this weekend for the star.  Her red carpet gown was a one-shoulder ivory dress with silver embellishment throughout and lovely sheer fabric from the thigh down.  The sheerness of the material balanced the beading on top, and gave the gown a modern touch.  Her performance dress was short and silver with peek-a-boo cut-outs and brilliant shine.  It was meant for the stage and showed-off her great legs.

Halle Berry attended the Carousel of Hope Gala in a gorgeous YSL gown over the weekend.  She was stunning in the red one-shoulder number that was fitted to perfection.  This dress had all the drama needed on the  red carpet, it was beautifully draped and fell to the floor in a pool of silk.  She paired it with a bronze evening bag, diamond hoop earrings and a simple cocktail ring, she proves that with accessories, sometimes less is more.  The Gala was held to raise money for the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes in Los Angeles.  Berry has been living with diabetes for years.

Christina Ricci wore Alberta Ferretti to the Elton John AIDS Foundation event in New York City last night.  The actress was gorgeous in a light grey above the knee cocktail dress from the Spring 2011 collection.  It had the most beautiful draping.  She paired the strapless beauty with a black clutch and a pair of platform pumps.  Ricci made the right choice for her petite figure and for the black-tie charity event.  I never tire of seeing a stunning dress on the right actress and on the red carpet.

Sienna Miller is in Nina Ricci at the opening of Esquire magazine’s Esquire House in Los Angeles.  This was the 8th Annual Esquire House charity event and it benefited the International Medical Corps.  Each year the magazine creates a lavish bachelor pad and the venue is used to host major charity events throughout the year.  Miller’s dress is from Nina Ricci’s Fall 2010 collection.  A strapless black number with lace and a peek-a-boo detail at the hem.  It’s feminine and lady-like; the perfect little black dress for the red carpet.

Tory Burch’s charitable foundation is honoring National Women’s Business Week for its philanthropic works.  The Tory Burch Foundation was created to empower women within their financial lives.  It’s mission, to provide economic opportunities for women and their families in the United States.  National Women’s Business Week, from October 18 – 22, honors the contribution of working women by highlighting women entrepreneurship and raising awareness about various services available for the working woman.

You can get involved in this cause by purchasing a special edition CD being sold by the Tory Burch Foundation at $16.99.  It has music from Kanye West, Wyclef Jean, Santana and the Neville Brothers to name a few.  In addition to music, you can buy a classic Tory Burch silk scarf, studded bangles and many more items to help bring economic power and stability to the lives of women.  You can also show your support by wearing the Tory Burch Foundation T-Shirt designed with the sunflower logo.

The Fashion Footwear Association of New York (FFANY) and QVC brings you the 17th Annual QVC Presents “FFANY Shoes on Sale” event tonight, Friday, October 15th, on QVC from 7:00pm to 10:00pm. Entertainer Fergie is the face of this year’s “Call to Action Campaign.” The Hope Shoe from Fergie’s Fall 2010 Collection will be among the footwear on sale for charity. Be sure to tune-in this evening, shop for shoes and make a difference. All the proceeds from this shopping extravaganza will benefit breast cancer research.

Fergie’s Hope Shoe

Maison Martin Margiela has created limited-edition charity T-shirts in Japanese.  These tees have been a part of tha Maison Martin Margiela collection since the Fall 1994 season.  They are set to launch on December 1st for World AIDS Day, but this year, the fashion house decided to create T-Shirts in different languages, that’s in addition to the English version.  We get to decipher the slogan in Japanese this year, which reads: THERE IS MORE ACTION TO BE DONE TO FIGHT AIDS THAN TO WEAR THIS T-SHIRT BUT IT’S A GOOD START

The lay-out of letters on the T-Shirts are arranged to start a dialog; the letters are placed around the neck.  It’s a challenge to read, not only the language, but the placement of the slogan.  That will lead to inquiry, and thus foster conversation about this important topic.  A percentage of the proceeds will go to AIDES, an organization dedicated to fight against HIV and provide care for patients living with HIV/AIDS.  Each tee comes in different colors with contrasting letters, I’m sure they would make great presents over the Holidays.

DKNY & the National MS Society hosted a special event last night at the Madison Avenue store.  Author Marlo Donato Parmelee was celebrating her memoir, Awkward  Bitch, My Life with MS.  At the age of 32, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS).  Parmelee read an excerpt from her book, and it was both poignant and humorous.  She sparkled in a blue sequined DKNY top that radiated against her outlook and humor.  A book signing ensued.  Customers were treated to champagne, delicious cupcakes and a 10% discount off their  purchases.  In addition, DKNY donated 10% of the evening’s proceeds to the New York City – Southern NY chapter of the National MS Society.  Nothing goes better with cupcakes, than shopping for a good cause.

Gisele Bundchen wore this stunning Calvin Klein gown to The Brazil Foundation 8th Annual Gala Benefit on Thursday evening.  The dress was designed by Francisco Costa, creative designer at Calvin Klein.  Costa is also a Brazilian native.  This gown not only looked like a  million bucks on the model, it also went for $50,000 at the auction in support of the foundation.  What a perfect fit on Gisele; it had a tank-style front and racer-back style cut in back, but with all the glamour befitting this supermodel.  The dress is a signature Calvin Klein creation with a sportswear foundation.  However, instead of opting for the minimalist aesthetic, Costa aimed for sexy and alluring.  This beaded number will not be forgotten anytime soon.  From the brilliant color, revealing back down th the incredible fit, it is one for the Gisele’s fashion hall of fame.