Out on The Scene: GMHC's Fashion Forward

Beverly Johnson, Michael Bastian and Tim Gunn

Photo courtesy of BPMW via Patrick McMullan

Monday night was the second annual Fashion Forward charity event given by the Gay Men's Health Crisis, which celebrates and honors six designers who are helping to make strides in the fight for HIV/AIDS education and prevention. This years' honorees included Michael Bastian, John Varvatos, Betsey Johnson, Tim Hamilton, Ports 1961 by Tia Cibani and Charles Nolan.

The event was attended by a sold out crowd of the gay fashion elite, with plenty of mo's schmoozing and boozing with everyone from reality TV stars (hello, Jack Mackenroth) to designers (Derek Lam, how do you do?) to supermodels (Beverly Johnson!? We die). And, the best part, it was all for a great cause.

Whilst the crowds chit-chatted away before the fashion show featuring Spring/Summer 09 looks from the honored designers started, they were free to peruse a multitude of items donated from various sponsors and supporters of GMHC for the night's silent auction. Among the goods: a Ferragamo bag, a vacation in France, a Hugo Boss suit and five-star dinners. And, we're happy to report, that after all was said and done, a total of $225,000 was raised for the GMHC!

Of course the night wouldn't have been complete without the fashion show we were all salivating to see, particularly because we knew Chad White would be walking. Speaking of, where was the auction for a night out with Chad? Now that's something we would have plunked down a wad o' cash for. Nevertheless, it was fun to see him strut down the runway, and revisit some of our favorite looks of the S/S 09 season. Worth noting -- the runway looked refreshingly healthy at Fashion Forward. The girls were thicker in a good way, and the men were filling out the clothes quite nicely. We thank GMHC for that, because manorexia is so over.

Out.com congratulates GMHC, Fashion Forward and all the participating sponsors and designers for their work and dedication to a fight so worth fighting. Now, if only we could do something about that Prop 8...

For more coverage of Fashion Forward check out the GMHC website. And, for exclusive interviews with Tim Gunn about the night's festivities, click here.

-- SETH PLATTNER