FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
amfAR Media
Contacts:
Bennah Serfaty,
Senior Director of Communications: (212) 806-1607; bennah.serfaty@amfar.org
Natalie
Marquis, Media Relations Associate: (212) 806-1694; natalie.marquis@amfar.org
Katy Perry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chelsea Handler,
Kevin Huvane help to raise more than $1.3 Million at amfAR’s Inspiration Gala
Los Angeles
EVENT PRESENTED BY M·A·C VIVA GLAM
Los Angeles,
CA, October 12, 2012—Katy Perry, Sarah Jessica Parker, Chelsea Handler, Kevin
Huvane, amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole, Kate Hudson, Kristin Davis, Rose McGowan,
Octavia Spencer, Lance Bass, Alessandra Ambrosio, Shaun White, and Beth Behrs
were among those who came out to Milk Studios last night to the third
Inspiration Gala in Los Angeles, benefiting amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS
Research. Creative Artists Agency Managing Partner Kevin Huvane was honored
with the Piaget Award of Inspiration at the event for his generous
contributions to the fight against AIDS. The event, hosted by renowned comedian
and best-selling author Chelsea Handler, raised more than $1.3 million to benefit amfAR’s life-saving AIDS
research programs.
Award-winning
actress, producer, and fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker presented the Piaget
Award of Inspiration to Kevin Huvane, who she called “the grounding, consistent
force in my professional life for 26 years.” Parker spoke of Huvane’s
unwavering commitment to the people he loves and the causes that he’s
passionate about, saying “his unflinching, selfless mindset is a quality we all
long for in our leaders. It’s what helps bring people closer together.”
After accepting
his award to a standing ovation, Huvane challenged the crowd to “restore the
same urgency that so compelled Elizabeth Taylor, Mathilde Krim and the other founders
of amfAR to fight for this cause,” saying, “We do that by teaching the next
generation about the biggest epidemic of our lifetime… So that when our
children ask the question, ‘What did you
do?’ we will tell them we supported amfAR, and we helped them find the cure.”
Pop music
legend Katy Perry closed out the night with a stunning acoustic set of some of
her most beloved hits, including “Part of
Me,” “Teenage Dream,” and “Firework,” which had the entire crowd on their
feet. One lucky guest also walked away with the ultimate souvenir during
the live auction when Perry donated a guitar, which she personally autographed
for the winning bidder. The incomparable Perry, Billboard’s 2012 Woman of
the Year, also offered to take the winner and their friends out for a night at
the Abbey as part of the auction package. The once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity sold for $32,000.
Other
highlights of the live auction included a print by renowned photographer
Catherine Opie, which sold for $45,000, and a private polo lesson with Nacho
Figueras, which sold for $18,000. At the
close of the auction, amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole reminded the crowd that we
are poised at the brink of finding a cure for AIDS, and he encouraged guests to
pledge in Kevin Huvane’s name to fund groundbreaking research. These additional
pledges raised $150,000.
The Inspiration
Gala Los Angeles was presented by M·A·C Viva Glam. amfAR Chairman Kenneth Cole,
Larry Boland, John Demsey, Michael Smith, and John Sotoodeh served as chairs of
the event. Sponsors included Piaget, Wells Fargo, Hugo Boss, and Kohler.
The Inspiration Gala Los Angeles, produced by Josh Wood Productions, is part of
a series of amfAR events celebrating all aspects of men’s style. Hugo
Boss, Tumi, and Thom Browne created “Black Tie/Athletic Inspired” fashion
presentations, displayed by male models during cocktail hour. The gala
also featured signature GREY GOOSE vodka
specialty cocktails, including the new flavor GREY GOOSE Cherry Noir, and FIJI
water.
Last night’s
event marked the tenth event in the Inspiration series; other events have taken
place in Paris, New York and São Paulo. Previous Award of Inspiration
honorees have included Jean-Paul Gaultier, Ricky Martin, James Franco,
Francisco Costa, Mario Testino, Robert Duffy/Marc Jacobs International, and
Fergie. To date, the Inspiration series has raised more than $6 million
for amfAR.
About amfAR:
amfAR, The
Foundation for AIDS Research is one of the world’s leading nonprofit
organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS research, HIV prevention,
treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.
Since 1985, amfAR has invested more than $340 million in its programs and has
awarded grants to more than 2,000 research teams worldwide. www.amfar.org
About Josh Wood
Productions:
Josh Wood
Productions has produced and promoted socially conscious events and concerts
featuring artists such as Arcade Fire, Lady Gaga, Ricky Gervais, Norah Jones,
Kylie Minogue, Lou Reed, Scissors Sisters, Michael Stipe, and the Pet Shop
Boys. Their events have raised money and awareness for Downtown for Democracy,
The Guggenheim Foundation, Empire State Pride Agenda, Friends of Hillary,
Friends of the Highline, Hetrik Martin Institute, MoveOn, Obama for America,
Oxfam, Rock the Vote, The Royal Shakespeare Company and Veterans for Peace.
Josh Wood Productions’ latest project, “The Inspiration Gala Series: A
Celebration of Men’s Style,” is an international fashion gala fundraiser
benefiting amfAR. For more information please visit www.joshwoodproductions.com.
About M·A·C
Cosmetics
M·A·C (Make-up
Art Cosmetics), a leading brand of professional cosmetics, was created in
Toronto, Canada in 1984 and is part of The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. The
company’s popularity has grown through a tradition of word-of-mouth endorsement
from makeup artists, models, photographers and journalists around the world.
M·A·C is now sold in 79 countries/territories worldwide. Follow M·A·C on
Twitter @MACcosmetics (twitter.com/maccosmetics), become a M·A·C fan on
Facebook (facebook.com/maccosmetics), watch M·A·C videos on YouTube and find
our M·A·C Senior Artists at macartiststweets.com. For a M·A·C location visit
maccosmetics.com.
Delta Air Lines
is the Official Airline of amfAR.