Wear white to battle poverty

from The Toronto Star

Daphne Gordon
Living Reporter

Some style gurus realize there's more to life than just the latest trend. Fashion designer and charismatic Project Runway judge Shawn Hewson is one of them.

"I love the fashion business, but you find those in and around it tend to get carried away with having the latest and greatest. You have to realize there are people out there who can't afford a winter coat or an outfit to wear to a job interview," says Hewson, who's taking part in Wear White 4 Windfall, a charitable event that will benefit Windfall, Canada's only new clothing bank.

A month of white-themed events will culminate on Jan. 31, when people across the city will be wearing white and using the resulting attention to talk about the reason for their fashion faux-pas – poverty – as well as donating to Windfall.

The 15-year-old charity helps about 64,000 people in the Toronto area each year by receiving donations of new clothing and other basic items from retailers and manufacturers, then distributing them to more than 90 organizations that help people living in poverty.

In its third year, the Wear White ball is now rolling, says Helen Harakas, executive director of Windfall. Last year's event raised $25,000, but because of increased community support and corporate sponsorship, this year's goal is $50,000.

"It's really taken on a life of it's own," says Harakas, noting that Bayview Village shopping centre sold $5 white scarves with proceeds to Windfall, and organized a white fashion show for Sunday. (For info, see bayviewvillageshops.com.)

Local celebs posed for posters to promote the fundraiser. Hewson, Canadian Idol judge Zack Werner, design duo Steven Sabados and Chris Hyndman are among the personalities who were photographed.

For his poster, Hewson, co-founder with his wife Ruth Promislow of the sporty menswear line Bustle, wore a white T-shirt and blazer.

"My mother used to tell me that you should never wear white after Labour Day, but I usually did the opposite of what she told me."

Harakas and a volunteer committee settled on a white theme because it conveyed the idea of winter, driving home the point that people in poverty need clothes to get them through a Canadian winter.

To get involved and to make donations, see ww4w.ca.

Daphne Gordon is a volunteer with Windfall.