Saturday, July 25, 2009 at Chen Chow in Birmingham, one of the hottest parties this summer took place Skin 09. It was a fashion show and fundraiser benefiting Barbara Ann Karmanos Institute. Not only was this an evening of giving back, it was also one of fabulosity and fashion. George Stager III, creator of the Skin 09 event did not want people to associate giving back to a charity to be boring; he wanted to prove that you can still have fun while helping out a cause. The highlight of the evening was the Skin 09 Fashion Show.The fashion show was eye-catching, fierce and tastefully sexy. The models graced the catwalk with skill, showcasing their personalities through their walk and facial expressions, letting everyone in the room know that they owned the scene. The show featured fashions by Prodigy, makeup by Astute Artistry and hair by HB Salon. The sponsors of the event were Vitamin Water and Lamborghini who parked 3 beautiful cars out front. (Be sure to check them out in the slideshow) 

With my backstage access pass I was able to go behind the scenes to talk with George, the models and the makeup artist. Everybody who took part in the success of Skin 09 was very happy to be involved and donate their time. Lisa Glickoff, owner of Astute Artistry in Livonia, says that she is a very good friend of George and she volunteers her services because her salon has a non-profit organization for women with cancer that links with Karmanos and gives a portion of their sales to them. When I asked Lisa about the models' makeup for the night she described it as "modern meets geisha", meaning edgy makeup, to complement the more conservative clothing selections for the show. All the models were adorned with squirrel art on the sides of their faces to enhance the smoky eyes. I also had the pleasure of speaking with one of the models Nathaniel Loveland of Model and Talent Management. Nathaniel said "I really like the fact that it benefits the Karmanos Institute" and he was glad to be involved with the event. Nathaniel also noted that he was named Michigan's Top Model back in April of this year.

The party turned out to be a huge success with over 300 supporters in attendance.The event raised $1,636 to be given to Karmanos Institute. I asked George "So what's next?" and his response, "Skin 10".

For background on George Stager III and Skin 09, check out Lori Pinson's story on wwjtv.com

Be sure to check out the Skin 09 Slideshow for pictures to get the full effect of the evening. And if you would still like to donate money to Karmanos in honor of this event, it is never too late, visit www.karmanos.org.