Place a bid and you will have the opportunity to receive advice from Tim Gunn over lunch with five friends, meet Reed Krakoff at his Spring 2012 Fashion Show and have the designer create you a One-of-a-Kind, Custom Boxer Handbag, attend the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Academy Awards Viewing Party, or own a pair of diamond encrusted 18k gold Oliver Peoples Harlot sunglasses! The auction comprises of 102 lots, with diverse offerings in fashion, travel, music, art, sports and even internship opportunities.

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Place bids before April 28, you can meet legendary VOGUE Editor in Chief, Anna Wintour and attend a photo shoot for the magazine….I’m already daydreaming about my Paris trip on Mr. Lauren’s tab!

Online catalogue accessible via: http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/fashionandfriendsforjapan

FASHION GIRLS FOR JAPAN: 60+ DESIGNERS/60+ ROLLING RACKS

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A SPECIAL DESIGNER SAMPLE SALE TO BENEFIT JAPAN SOCIETY’S JAPAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND, THE RED CROSS, AND THE NYC’S JAPAN EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI FUND. 100% of proceeds from the sales will go towards the relief efforts.

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More than 60 designers have come together – including Alexander Wang, Altuzarra, Derek Lam, Diane von Furstenberg, Doo Ri, Prabal Gurung, Proenza Schouler, Thakoon, VPL, Zero Maria Cornejo and several accessories designers– and pledged to donate ‘one rolling rack’ of their clothing for this charity event. All items will be offered at 50% or more off the retail price.

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THE BOWERY TERRACE AT THE BOWERY HOTEL 335 BOWERY NEW YORK SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 11AM – 7PM SUNDAY, APRIL 3, 11AM – 5PM

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$5 MINIMUM DONATION FOR ADMISSION BUY TICKETS ONLINE AT www.fashiongirlsforjapan.com

Rachel Roy's tote

In light of the recent floods in Pakistan, funky designer Rachel Roy has configured a simple tote with a very powerful statement. She has teamed up with UNICEF to aid the 10 million children affected by these horrific July 2010 floods. With every tote sold, Roy will be donating $20 to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF’S disaster relief and recovery efforts. Help provide clean drinking water, proper nutrition, and many other services to the children in Pakistan through this trendy purchase.

Head online and pre-order your “Kindness Is Always Fashionable” tote today, but you will have to wait until after the holidays for it to be in your hands. The totes will ship January 5th (think of it as a post-holiday gift). This tote will fit all of you needed necessities and more, so space complements the big impact you can have with this totally “fashionable” purchase for a mere $20. Plus, this tote can go with any outfit and send a mighty message to everyone who sneaks a peek at the lettering.

Coach's Mia Maggie bag

With October still in full swing, here are your top 5 handbags that support breast cancer!

Coach‘s Mia Maggie handbag wears pink proudly in honor of breast cancer awareness.  This limited edition, rose-colored handbag pulls out all the stops and has a pocket for everything you need to put inside of it.  Better yet, 20% from each sale (the bag retails at $358) will go directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The mission of this incredible organization is to help find both prevention and a cure for breast cancer in our lifetime. BCRF funds extensive research worldwide and increases public awareness about proper breast health. In its sixteenth year of operation, BCRF has certainly done a great deal, but still needs your continued support to find a cure for breast cancer.

Ralph Lauren wallet

Here’s a little something for inside your handbag or for when you don’t need much for a night out!  Ralph Lauren has introduced this hot pink alligator wallet in conjunction with the company’s Pink Pony Fund.  100% of the sales from this wallet support programs for screening, diagnosis, and treatment and research, as well as bringing patient navigation to medically underserved communities. The Pink Pony Fund supports several organizations worldwide.

This elegant pink clutch wallet is crafted from hand-selected American alligator, and its eye-popping hue cannot be missed.  Add a little pizazz to your LBD with this clutch!

Lauren Merkin clutch

Lauren Merkin has come together with the Young Survival Coalition to support breast cancer.  50% of the proceeds from the pink studded lambskin clutch will go directly to this organization. YSC supports women on a global level and is dedicated to the unique issues directly related to young women (ages 40 and below) with breast cancer. Their goal is to increase the quality AND quantity of life for these young women.

The Lauren Merkin clutch is studded with Swarovski crystals and can be used for every type of event.  Keep the strap on for an over the shoulder look or go strapless for a luxurious affair–either way you can’t go wrong.  The clutch retails for $275.

Betsey Johnson tote

When Betsey Johnson mixes with the iconic Marilyn Monroe, you absolutely cannot go wrong.  This limited edition Betsey Johnson tote benefits two of the designer’s favorite charities, the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund and the Weill Cornell Breast Center of the Iris Cantor Women’s Health Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.  Johnson, a cancer survivor herself, was treated at the very same New York-Presbyterian Hospital where some of the proceeds of this tote will go.

Retailing at $75, you’ll have an excellent excuse to incorporate this tote into your wardrobe. It is great for traveling and when you need the extra space for your on-the-go lifestyle.  A nice touch:  the attached coin purse that reads “‘I am a survivor.” Talk about a powerful message from an incredibly strong woman.

Anna Wintour's 2nd annual fashion event to be help Sept 10, 2010

Fashion’s Night Out is back by popular demand. On September 10, 2010 plan on spending the evening with your friends shopping for good! Anna Wintour’s 2nd annual global event will have participating retailers (which practically means every single brand and boutique in NYC at least!) staying open late into the evening, hosting cocktail parties, product launches, special designer/celebrity appearances and more.

There will also be an epic public fashion show, involving over 200 models and 1,500 random ticket-holding guests (show will be held September 7 at New York Fashion Week’s new home, Lincoln Center). 40% of the ticket proceeds (as well as the FNO 2010 clothing line) will go to the New York City AIDS Fund.

Last year, I went to Bergdorf with my boyfriend and got to see Manolo Blahnik and Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen! It’s definitely a star-studded evening with lots of glitz. Dress up and find some great styles for Fall, support the retail industry in this economy and feel great that the money you spend goes to some great causes!

Gucci for UNICEF special edition Sukey bag

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To mark the 6th year of the Gucci partnership with UNICEF, Gucci is offering this sophisticated Sukey bag from April 2010 through February 2011.  The luxury firm will donate 25% of its proceeds from the special edition Sukey bag to UNICEF.

“From a distance, Miteme Junior Primary School look slike a marketplace with vendors in school uniform.  On close inspection, one realizes this is a school without a single classroom.  Classes one to five are all held under trees; only class five has desks.”  As reporter Kusali Kubwalo writes for UNESCO, Kusali paints a poignant picture of the inadequacy of educational infrastructure in Lilongwe, Malawi.  This perspective is representative of many education systems in Africa, reflecting on my visit to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in 2007, nearly 70 students are crammed into a classroom that would normally seat 30 according to Western standards.

The funds raised will benefit UNICEF’s ‘Schools for Africa’ programs in Malawi and Mozambique, where children are not only deprived of education opportunities, nearly one million of them have lost their parents by the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The Sukey bag is designed by Creative Director Frida Giannini who also named it “La Pelle Guccissima.”  The bag is derived from a classic Gucci design adorned with its iconic monogram.  The elegant grey is both sophisticated and versatile, whether you sport it as arm candy, or wardrobe essential, the Sukey is appropriate for all four  seasons.

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The best part of owning this timeless luxury? 10% of the proceeds are donated to UNICEF – United Nations International Emergency Children’s Fund – which is the world’s leading non-profit for children, with programs in over 190 countries.

The Signature for Good collection is just another example of the Swiss companies tradition of giving back.  They have also created a sterling silver pendant for Jewelers for Children and gold bangles for the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

David Yurman amethyst pendants in support of The Lustgarten Foundation.

London Jewelers and David Yurman have come together to craft two beautifully constructed amethyst pendants in support of The Lustgarten Foundation.  Through their efforts, the fight against pancreatic cancer will continue as their non-profit Foundation continues to invest in research through the net proceeds of these noteworthy pendants.  Both London Jewelers and Yurman are dedicated to this exceptional cause since they have both have lost loved ones to the disease.

Retailing for $295 in silver and $1,700 for the 18-karat gold version, there is no way you can go wrong with either choice!  The piece has the signature Yurman touch–a 16-inch box chain giving the pendants their cable-like distinction.  A beautiful stone will be the perfect accent to your décolletage.  And knowing that 100% of the proceeds will be given to The Lustgarten Foundation can really put your accessorizing to the ultimate “do good” test.

Just released July 15th, orders can be taken via London Jewelers (877) 601-9924 until it is released in stores this fall.  Want to double up?  You can order your own pendant at The Lustgarten Foundation’s 10th annual Pancreatic Cancer Research Walk on July 25 in Garden City, NY while you participate in a walk for the cure.

Each of the products below is offered by a company that contributes part of the price to a charity, add these items to your wish list this season:

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Rose Anne de Pampelonne silk Coralia Crave tunic Price upon request

Ten percent of each sale goes to I Can Serve to benefit women in Phillippines who have breast cancer.  Based in Paris, De Pampelonne’s works take inspiration from the local handicrafts and traditional embroideries of far-flung locales like Tibet, India, and her native Philippines.  This item is travel ready and perfect for all types of occasions, a classic your suitcase must not close without!

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Toms Orange Calypso Canvas Wedges $69

The newest and tallest member of the TOMS family, the Wedge. The world’s first heels with heart, in orange stripe.

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Joan Hornig 18-K gold, white-topaz Potato Chip earrings $1,750

All net profits benefit charities of the buyer’s choice

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Elie Tahari Monique Melody cork tote $398

Twenty percent of the net proceeds go to God’s Love We Deliver, a NYC group that  prepares  meals for those with HIV/AIDS and other illnesses.

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Brette Sandler for Hat Attack $95

Twenty-five percent of each sale goes to the Skin Cancer Foundation.  Swimwear designer Brette Sandler partners with Hat Attack to create a limited-edition UV protective beach hat in order to raise awareness and support for the Foundation.

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Valentino jersey-and-lace T-shirt $395

All proceeds go to the Francesca Rava Foundation for the children of Haiti.

The T-shirt was first promoted at Milan fashion week in February and has become a permanent item in the Valentino online store.

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Harry Winston platinum and diamond Guggenheim ring $26,000

Part of the New York Collection, among traffic and skyscrapers stands one of New York’s favorite monument and architectural icon, the ring is a sweet souvenir of New York and shows your commitment to the arts.  A portion of the proceeds goes to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation.

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See July 2010 issue of Town & Country for more ideas

Uma Thurman modeling the campaign's T-shirt

Uma Thurman has been named by the Entertainment Industry Foundation as this year’s ambassador for Saks’ Key to the Cure campaign.

Thurman will take over from Gwyneth Paltrow as the face of the campaign. This year, the “Key to the Cure” campaign features T-shirts designed by Donna Karan, proceeds benefit the Women’s Cancer Research Fund.

Thurman says, “everyone I know has been affected by breast cancer one way or the other….It is vital that we work toward a cure as well as develop more accurate and advance testing.

“For me, it’s not just about dressing women; it’s about addressing the issues that are so important to all of us.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. This year, they predict more than 40,000 women will lose their battles against breast cancer. The staggering statistics means that 110 women will die each day, five every hour. Research is the key, actress Patricia Clarkson says, there have been great advances in the fight against breast cancer, there is much more to be discovered.

The campaign, which has raised over $33 million in the last 12 years, will kick off this Fall; shirts will be on sale starting October 21 in Saks Fifth Avenue stores around the country.