The June 2 event to benefit Canine Assistants, pups in need and fashion students turns 11 and finds a new home. Woof!
Doggies on the Catwalk, a mashup benefit featuring canines and couture, turns 11 in June. In people years, that is. In dog years, it’s 77.
The event is the brainchild of E. Vincent Martinez, perhaps better known as the tireless engine behind the Fashionado website and blog (and, full disclosure, an Encore Atlanta partner). He dreamed it up in 2007 in the fashion room at Grady High School, where he created the Fashion Design Program. Some 600 fans turned out for 2017’s Doggies on the Catwalk.
Martinez and his partner, incidentally, are parents to three loving pups: a 9-year-old black Standard Poodle named Simone; an 8-year-old Yorkie named Bixby; and a 7-year-old Yorkie named Barrett.
The June 2 fundraiser has the same mission as always but a new location — the Greenberg Traurig office at Buckhead’s Terminus 200 on Piedmont Road. Retired Atlanta newswoman Monica Pearson emcees the evening, which includes a cocktail reception and runway show — with people and pups — featuring looks from top designers and such brands as Gucci, Prada, Givenchy and Saint Laurent. Its mission is threefold:
- Raising funds and awareness for Canine Assistants, which provides service and companion dogs for those needing help with daily tasks — turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, pulling wheelchairs, retrieving dropped objects and summoning help.
- Supporting organizations that provide safety and loving homes to animals in need.
- Providing scholarships to college-level fashion design students.
In its first decade, the Doggies on the Catwalk Foundation has raised more than $300,000. This year, for the first time, three ticketing options are available. A reception begins at 7 p.m., the fashion show at 8:30 p.m. Ticket levels:
GOOD DOG ($75). Select bar, Whispering Angel rosé, hors d’oeuvres, pop -up shops and a couture candy takeaway by POP! Events. Limited seating available on a first-come, first-served basis.
TOP DOG LEVEL ($175). Reserved seating, rooftop access, VIP pre-party (5:30-7 p.m.), select bar, hors d’oeuvres from Le Bilboquet, a meet-and-greet with Paul Chevalier of Whispering Angel’s rosé, informal modeling from Saks Fifth Avenue, pop-up shops and a couture candy takeaway by POP! Events.
PEDIGREE LEVEL ($225). Premium seating, rooftop access, VIP pre-party (5:307 p.m.), select bar, hors d’oeuvres from Le Bilboquet, a meet-and-greet with Whispering Angel’s Paul Chevalier, informal modeling from Saks Fifth Avenue, pop-up shops and a couture candy takeaway by POP! Events.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE.
