Published on Saturday, May. 17, 2008 12:00AM EDT Last updated on Friday, Mar. 13, 2009 11:58AM EDT
Apologies to the female guests who attended Fandango! 2008 Soirée Guinguette, but there really was no contest: The men dressed according to theme in a way that could only be described as merveilleux.
Which is not to say the evening fell short of producing some glamorous women. (Catherine Nugent's fantastic fuchsia feather boa and swishy dress looked every bit Parisian catwalk.) Or that it did not meet fundraising expectations because, by all accounts, $400,000 in support of Bridgepoint Health could be considered a resounding success.
It's just that seeing some of Toronto's lions - Harry Rosen, David Nugent and Tim Hodgson among the standouts - retiring their tuxes for striped maillots, neckerchiefs, berets and even faux mustaches was such a refreshing change. A special mention goes to Allan Fotheringham, who arrived with a crusty baguette in hand.
Fandango!, now in its seventh year, has officially earned its place among the mega-galas, mostly because its 430 attendees are almost exclusively businessmen, politicos, dignitaries, media big shots, big thinkers and philanthropists. Think Senator Jerry Grafstein, Madam Justice Gloria Epstein, Bruce Kuwabara, Barbara Hall, Paul Godfrey and Philippe Delacroix, consul-general of France.
With the Four Seasons ballroom transformed into a guinguette - cabarets once popular in the suburbs of France - joie de vivre flowed like fine champagne. The adjacent library room functioned as a clearing house for ultra-luxe silent auction items, including Chanel bijoux, breakfast at Hermès (as opposed to Tiffany's) and a catered dinner inside the Don Jail.
In between courses of French cuisine, host Ken Shaw and a Second City troupe did a stand-up job of driving home the importance of Complex Chronic Disease, a health threat unique to the 21st century as more people develop multiple chronic conditions.
But the CTV anchor still managed a loose, relaxed tone in keeping with the evening's theme: "This is for the middle class; you can take your tie off," Mr. Shaw announced. For a few hours - and merci to the Nu Rhythm Band - the men seemed content to oblige.
1. Catherine Nugent
2. Tim Hodgson of Goldman Sachs and Linda Hodgson
3. Retired Maple Leaf great Bobby Baun with men's-wear retailer Harry Rosen
4. Ed Kerwin of McCarthy Tétrault and Ann Kerwin, chairwoman of the ball
5. Gina and Paul Godfrey, president of the Toronto Blue Jays
6. Plastic surgeon Peter Adamson and Nora Adamson; Anne and Allan Fotheringham
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