(Long Island, NY) The Hamptons were hot, hot, hot with Celebrities, Movie Stars, Hip-Hop Stars and Fashionistas attending an assortment of red carpet events. One such event held annually is the much anticipated Super Saturday. This high profile event is underwritten personally by Fashion Designer Donna Karan and sponsored by In Style. Target was also a generous supporter for this year’s event and all proceeds from Super Saturday benefit OCRF’s important scientific research programs.
Donna Karan, Kelly Ripa and In Style Magazine Editor in Chief Charla Lawhon, hosted Super Saturday 10.
Super Saturday is famous for being an adventurous daytime fundraiser for the entire family, complete with a one-of-a-kind designer garage sale, kids’ carnival and activities, raffle and entertainment to benefit The Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF). The fashionista garage sale included items from over 200 of the most elegant designers including: Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Vera Wang, Theory, Marc Jacobs, Hugo Boss, Tory Burch, Diane Von Furstenberg, Botkier, Lambertson Truex, Hudson Jeans, Rebecca Beeson and Kenneth Cole, along with the In Style Accessories Salon and In Style Home Salon.
Fashion Designer Donna Karan
Known as the Rolls Royce of Garage Sales by the New York Times this year’s event also featured QVC. If you were unable to make it to the Hamptons this past Saturday you could have bought brand names in fashion, accessories and beauty at affordable prices on QVC. The network televised the event for home shoppers on July 28th from 1-3 pm to shop with all net proceeds benefiting OCRF!
Saturday evening I attended the Art for Life Benefit at the spectacular estate of Russell and Kimora Lee Simmons in East Hampton. Hip-Hop Mogul Russell Simmons has been instrumental in bringing Hip-Hop to every facet of business and media since its inception in the late 1970’s.
Born in 1957 Mr. Simmons is a native New Yorker and attended City College of New York. He is motivated by a potpourri of interests ranging from the entertainment industry, business world, politics and philanthropic causes. I had the pleasure of interviewing Russell and brother Danny Simmons who founded the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation in 1995. The foundation’s mission is dedicated to providing disadvantaged urban youth with significant exposure and access to the arts, as well as providing exhibition opportunities to under-represented artists and artists of color.
A 501(C)3 organization, Rush Philanthropic fulfills its mission through three core programs: grants,exhibitions and mentoring. The Rush Community Grants Program annually provides direct funding to over 70 nonprofit organizations that offer education programming in all disciplines of the arts to New York City and Palm Beach County youth. Rush also runs two arts exhibition and education facilities: Rush Arts Gallery and Resource Center in Manhattan’s Chelsea arts district and the Corridor Gallery in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill neighborhood. The Rush Gallery in the School and Rush Kids Visual Arts Mentorship Programs (a.k.a. Rush Kids) use arts education to create a spark that lights the imagination and creativity of the urban youth we serve. The Rush Impact Mentorship Initiative allows the foundation’s leadership to reach out to young people by taking them behind the scenes at Rush Communications’ headquarters for in-depth Q&A sessions with Russell Simmons and executives in music, fashion, and creative-related professions.
During our interview on the red carpet Danny Simmons revealed the organization is currently in a fundraising campaign for an 11,000 square-foot arts education and resource center it will open next year in East New York, Brooklyn. The building was a gift from Ron Hershco of United Homes. This year’s theme for the event was “Not So Mellow Yellow” introducing a fabulous Yellow Wardrobe for the luxury silent auction. Clothing designers Rachel Roy, Catherine Malandrino and b michael, jewelry designers to the stars Lorraine Schwartz, Jeri Cohen and Ana Reign, shoe designer Guiseppe Zanotti, among other top fashion designers, have signed on, each donating a special yellow item for the auction. I had the chance to interview both Fashion Designers b. michael and Edwing D’Angelo who has designed for legendary R&B Singer Patti LaBelle. Another famous Hollywood star that attended the event was 80’s movie star Ally Sheedy. I inquired “Ally how did you find out about this event and what was your favorite 80’s flick that you starred in?” “I was invited by Russell and I went to College with Forest Whitaker who is receiving an award tonight so I wanted to be part of that and my favorite flick is the Breakfast Club.” The highlight of the evening was when I interviewed honoree and Academy Award winning actor Forest Whitaker and his lovely wife Keisha.
Academy Award Winning Actor Forest Whitaker and Wife Keisha, on the end Hip Hop Mogul Russell Simmons
Some of the other celebrities that attended were Olympic Gold Medalist Angelo Taylor, kevin Liles, Deborah Cox and Rocco Dispirito.
For more information please visit www.rushphilanthropic.org
Sunday I attended Hollywood in the Hamptons Brunch and Dialogue event at the home of Morris and Jaci Reid. The event was hosted by actress Kerry Washington and moderated by political pundit Lawrence O’Donnell Jr. Panelists included the Nations’s columnist and author Eric Alterman, Republican strategists Ed Rollins and Bloomberg News Columnists and author Margaret Carlson. Morris and Jaci Reid revealed that the Creative Coaliton and the brightest minds in politics have come here today to have a rare and lively discussion on the impact of pop culture on the 2008 presidential race. Jaci announced “We just want everyone to come and enjoy sushi and champagne today.” During our interview the famous political couple announced that they are also hosting an event with Bill and Hillary Clinton at their home in East Hampton on Friday evening August 3rd. Morris Reid also revealed that they will continue to have more significant Creative Coalition events.
Hollywood in the Hamptons – Morris Reid, Cognac Wellellane and Designer Mauri Pioppo
The Creative Coalition is the premier nonprofit, nonpartisan social and political advocacy organization of the entertainment industry. Founded in 1989 by prominent figures in the creative community, including actors Alec Baldwin, Ron Silver, Christopher Reeve, Susan Sarandon, Blair Brown and Stephen Collins, TCC educates and mobilizes leaders in the arts community on issues of public importance, specifically in the areas of First Amendment rights, arts advocacy and public education.
To learn more about the Creative Coalition please visit www.thecreativecoalition.org.
