Dressed to Inspire

Is there anything more fun than slipping into a tuxedo jacket, giving yourself one last glance in the mirror before heading downstairs, where a taxi waits to whisk you off to a ball? There isn’t, and last Thursday night I had the pleasure of attending the 2013 MASKARADE ball in support of the Farha Foundation. Nights in Montreal can unpredictably fun and this was no exception.

I arrived earlier than most, as part of the fun of being invited to an event like this, is watching everyone trickle in. Upon entering the beautiful yet simply decorated cocktail lounge, I noticed that the attendees went all out with some dazzling and elaborate masks.  People were dressed to the nines in couture that could give the most veteran red carpet jumper a run for their money. I quickly donned my mask and set course for the bar.

Once I had a glass of champagne in my hand, I completed a lap around the quickly filling room to get a closer look at the masked crowd. I ran into a few familiar faces including some old colleagues from my days peddling Gucci and Fauchon at Holt Renfrew, a real blast from the past.

 As the cocktail progressed, I had the pleasure of speaking with Evelyn Farha, the family matriarch, who was as spry as she way lovely. She came up to me and made sure I was having a good time and expressed how she felt about the night. She mentioned how great it is to see people coming out and getting involved. Support for these events is of the upmost importance and when we have the ability to make a difference, why not go for it.

After my second glass of champagne, I was getting ready to leave. I had only planned on staying for the cocktail but as luck would have it, I met 4 charming bankers who would quickly change the course of my night. I had planned to meet some friends right after leaving Marché Bonsecour, and everything would have gone according to plan, but the speeches started, then the dinner started and before I knew it, I was crashing a dinner table of well dressed bankers. I don’t know how these things happen to me, but I love it! Keep them coming!

As dinner got underway, Ron Farha’s nephew gave a stirring speech that shed light on how his generation is dealing with HIV/AIDS, which has taken so many lives and still leaves others stigmatized. This was followed by an electrifying performance by JD Fortune, who rose to international fame after being chosen by INXS as their lead singer. We dined on a delicious three course meal courtesy of Restaurant Beatrice and then the dancing got underway. This was my cue to finally bring to a close, a truly memorable night.  

No one knows what the secret formula is to a fun, magical night, but if we’re all dressed up with somewhere fun to go, and we are able to do some good at the same time, then we need not worry about formulas as the fun, and the magic, will happen all on their own.