Just Cause
Raising Funds and Awareness at the Elton John AIDS Foundation Benefit
"If Elton had only made music, that would have been a big enough gift to the world," Bill Clinton said. "But what he and the Elton John AIDS Foundation have done is truly remarkable." The former President was referring to the fundraising and stigma-fighting accomplishments of the musician's charity initiative, which held its annual benefit, An Enduring Vision, last night. Among this year's honorees: Clinton himself, along with Sharon Stone, Lily Safra, and Evelyn and Leonard Lauder.
With the majority of the fashion world at Skylight Studios for the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund Awards, the crowd was heavy on politicos and entertainers. Mayor Bloomberg opened the night's festivities with Anderson Cooper, and after the speeches from the honorees—Stone accepted her award "on behalf of the 33 million people suffering from AIDS today"—there was a live auction. Daniel Craig bid up a William Blake print, but the biggest lots were an original Elton John song and a day with Clinton, which went for $160,000 and $300,000, respectively.
Of course, no gala is complete without a fashion crisis, and last night's belonged to Courtney Love. Arriving late, she explained that she missed the cocktail hour because her stylist "must have been kidding" when he sent a white dress with an intentional stain down the back and bangles that looked like bandages to wear on her arms. "I totally would have worn it if I didn't like the people here," she explained of her last-minute dress swap. "But I like Elton and I love Bill Clinton."
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