The
Lupus Foundation of America,
Southeast Florida Chapter proudly
announces that Tamara Mellon,
founder and president of Jimmy Choo
will serve as the Honorary Chair of
the 2009 Butterfly Ball. The Ball,
the foundation's largest fundraiser
of the year, is set for Saturday,
February 7,
2009
and is themed a Black and White
Disco Ball.
Ms.
Mellon is the President and Founder
of J. Choo Limited ("Jimmy Choo"), a
leading manufacturer and
international retailer of glamorous,
ready-to-wear women's shoes and
accessories based in London,
England. She has served in a senior
executive capacity with Jimmy Choo
since its inception in 1996. Ms.
Mellon, 41, also serves on the Board
of Directors and on the Creative
Advisory Board of The H Company
Holdings, LLC, a privately held
holding company which owns and
manages the Halston fashion design
company.
I hope
that my involvement will put the
international spotlight on lupus
since the disease knows no
boundaries, said Ms. Mellon. I also
want ensure that my daughter has her
grandmother in her life for a long
time.
This
black-and white tie ball, chaired by
Miss Stacie Weisman, will be at
The Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach.
The evening begins with poolside
cocktails at 6:30 pm; followed by an
extravagant silent auction. A
gourmet meal follows with
entertainment throughout the evening
by disco divas Maxine Nightingale (Right
Back Where We Started From),
France Joli (Come
To Me) and Jackie Moore
(This
Time Baby).
Tickets for the ball are $600, for
more information, to become a
sponsor or to make reservations for
the Ball, call the Foundation at
561-279-8606.
Proceeds from the gala directly
benefit the Lupus Foundation of
America, Southeast Florida Chapter,
Inc., a not-for-profit autonomous
corporation affiliated with the
Lupus Foundation of America. This
chapter, founded in 1978, serves
Brevard, Broward, Miami-Dade,
Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm
Beach, and St. Lucie counties. The
chapter is dedicated to improving
the lives of persons who suffer from
lupus in South Florida by providing
counseling and referral, support
groups, professional and patient
education and training, outreach,
public information, advocacy, and
support of research. For more
information call 561-279-8606 or
800-339-0586 or visit
www.lupusfl.org.
Tamara
Mellon Biography
Tamara
was born with a strong understanding
of both fashion and business, from
her mother, Ann, a former Chanel
model and her father, Tom Yeardye, a
successful entrepreneur.
Internationally educated in Beverly
Hills, England and Switzerland,
Tamara started working at Browns and
gradually moved from Phyllis Walters
Public Relations, to Mirabella and
from there to accessories editor for
British Vogue in 1990. While at
Vogue, Tamara's entrepreneurial and
fashion instinct foresaw the
potential of the luxury goods
accessories market as she noticed
both a lack of style and variety in
the existing market. In 1996, she
broached shoe couturier Jimmy Choo
with the idea of joining forces and
launching a ready-to-wear shoe
company. After successfully sourcing
investors and factories to produce
the collection, the company
flourished under her helm with the
opening of her first shop in 1997 on
Motcomb Street in London and became
an internationally renowned and
aspirational brand.
Following the immediate success of
the boutique in London, Tamara took
her designs to Los Angeles where she
developed a loyal following of movie
and television stars alike. With
Hollywood's Oscar winners walking
the red carpet and starlets such as
Beyonce Knowles singing of her love
of vertiginous heels, Jimmy Choo has
become the most desirable accessory.
Tamara
continues to take an active role in
the running of the company ensuring
that her vision of a quality,
luxurious and fashionable product is
maintained while continuing to
evolve with the ever expanding needs
of the business.