Fashion Forward®

Highly Anticipated "Leonard Simpson's 10 Best Dressed Awards" Comes on November 13

 

San Diego, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/17/2014 -- TV personality Leonard Simpson of Fashion Forward® and Dress for Success San Diego present the highly anticipated seventh annual Leonard Simpson’s 10 Best Dressed Awards Gala, known for delivering over-the-top theatrical shows with elaborate costumes from performers like Beyoncé and Lady Gaga, music, dancers, acrobats, international fashion designers, super models, celebrity guests and more.

Founded and produced by Leonard Simpson, his 10 Best Dressed Awards honors 10 men and 10 women who are recognized not simply for their fashionable sense but more importantly for their giving spirit and philanthropic efforts.

The 2014 “Best Dressed” honorees in the female category are Laurie Black, Bibbi Herrmann Conner, Kathleen Connor, Hélène Gould, Lola Green, Jo Ann Kilty, Carmela Koenig, Mina Kooklani, Teri Valentina Rios, Darcy Delano Smith and Shelley Zimmerman.

The 2014 “Best Dressed” honorees in the male category are Dave Carothers, Paul Chasan, Jonathon Collopy, Raymond Dale, George Gould, Roberto De Gregorio, Patrick Kruer, Matthew Shillingburg, Brent Wilsey and John Winfield.

2014 Best Actress and Style Award: Vanessa Williams
2014 Civic Leadership Award: Ramin Pourteymour
2014 Founder Award for Charitable Contribution: Sylvia McKinney
2014 Lifetime Achievement Award in Broadcast Journalism: Kimberly Hunt, Channel 10 News
2014 Lifetime Achievement Award in Fashion: Kathy Hogan
2014 Media Award: Vincent Andrunas, UT San Diego
2014 Publisher and Society Coverage Award: Margo Schwab, San Diego Social Diary

The setting location for the evening will be the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines on November 13, 2014. Hosted by celebrity and honored actress Vanessa Williams from TV series Soul Food and New Jack City, along with Founding Chair, Sally B. Thornton; Honorary Chair, supermodel Kelly Emberg; Chairpersons Mina Kooklani and Kristi Pieper of La Jolla.

Guests attending the exclusive, will enjoy red carpet, hosted cocktail reception, a glamorous silent and live auction, formal dinner, award ceremony, and a theatrical show. The theme is “A Moment in Time.” Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Guests are encouraged to wear velvet. Tickets start at $150 per person. Tickets are available at leonardsimpson10bestdressed.com

The black tie optional gala will raise funds for Dress For Success San Diego. A local non-profit focused on empowering disadvantaged women to acquire jobs, build careers, achieve social and economic self-sufficiency by providing them with professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to thrive in work and in life. The non-profit has served nearly 9,000 local women since 1998. For more information about Dress For Success San Diego visit: www.dressforsuccess.org/sandiego.

EVENT INFORMATION AND TIMELINE:

What: Leonard Simpson’s Best Dressed Awards 2014
When: Thursday, November 13, 2014
Where: Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines – 10950 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
5:30 p.m. – Arrival, red carpet, hosted cocktail reception, silent auction
7:00 p.m. – Formal seated dinner and live auction
8:00 p.m. – Fashion Forward® Theatrical Show
9:00 p.m. – Award Ceremony

About Leonard Simpson and Fashion Forward®
Leonard Simpson is creator of Fashion Forward, an internationally known fashion production company with more than two decades of experience producing high-style fashion shows, television segments and Broadway-style shows nationwide. Leonard’s television credits include ten years as the producer and on?air host of his own style weekly segments on San Diego’s KUSI­9 Good Morning San Diego. Five years as an ABC commentator live from the red carpet at the Academy Awards, co­host and segment producer for the Southern regional Emmys. He has appeared on VH1, ETonight, E!, CBS, NBC, FOX, UT­TV, TWC and covered many fashion events in New York for Fashion Week, Fashion TV, Canada. Leonard played the lead actor in the full feature film, Fashionably L.A. From designing an award-winning jewelry line carried at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue, to becoming the youngest person ever to win the Lifetime Achievement Award in Fashion, Leonard is a man in the know when it comes to what’s in and what’s out in the fashion world.

For more information about Leonard Simpson, please visit: http://www.leonardsimpson.com.