Any day that begins with a Jane Austen reference is a great day.
The Blogger was pleasantly surprised to find out recently about a forthcoming fund-raiser for the Vancouver Opera Society, named not-so-incidentally after a Jane Austen novel. Fresh off its triumphant production of Verdi’s La Traviata, the VOS has planned a number of exciting new productions for the 2011/2012 season, and opens with West Side Story in October. In the meantime, they’re staging their third annual purse party fund-raising party on June 2, PURSEuasion.What is a purse party?
Some readers may recall the 2003 episode of Sex & the City where the ladies attend a party staged by a friend to support her new career as a purse designer, and to show off her designs. The VOS have been staging a similar event for the past three years, but in a twist, their event is not a party but a fun lunchtime auction.
Some designers whose works have gone on auction included one-of-a-kind and rare designs by Chanel, Marc Jacobs, Salvatore Ferragamo, Boboli and Ports 1961. Past auctions have also featured the works of designers such as Tina Wilson, Haida Princess Totes, and of course John Fluevog.
This is an event sure to bring out Vancouver fashionistas (particularly if you haven’t been able to get to the Anthropologie opening). The inaugural auction in 2008 raised an impressive $47,000.00 and this year they intend to raise more than ever. The event has been held in the past at Yaletown’s Goldfish Pacific Kitchen in 2009, and last year at the recently-shuttered Bistro Moderne. This year’s function is downtown at The Vancouver Club, to ensure that busy professionals don’t have to travel far from the office to get to the event. Since champagne is included at the buffet luncheon served at the event, it will help that fashionistas can simply walk to PURSEuasion from their offices in the downtown core.
While the details of the items going on sale have not yet been publicly released at the time of this writing, judging from the list of past designers whose works were included in the auction, it will certainly not disappoint.
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| Quite possibly the happiest bag lady ever |
Tickets to this amazing lunchtime auction run at $250.00, and each ticket comes with a $125.00 tax receipt. All proceeds will go to the VOS and to various organizations that encourage engagement in and development of the arts and emerging artists. PURSEuasion takes place at The Vancouver Club on Thursday, June 2, from 11:30 am to 2 pm. Get there early to grab some champagne while you peruse the selection up for grabs this year. This will be a great excuse for you hard-working professionals in Vancouver to get together for an unorthodox but animated lunch contributing to charity. The invite encourages guests to dress “urban chic”, so get ready to be photographed.
For more information, call 604-682-2871. There’s also information at PURSEsuasion’s event page on Facebook. Watch the Vancouver Opera Society’s event page and blog for more updates.
