Paris Hilton
MAKE-A-WISH
Make-A-Wish Young Legends Event Returns With Celebrities—On and Off the Runway
Designer Christian Cowan—who has created iconic looks for Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga and Cardi B—was the featured designer at the Oct. 24 Make-A-Wish Young Legends fund-raiser at the Taglyan Complex in Hollywood.
Paper magazine Chief Creative Officer and “America’s Next Top Model” judge Drew Elliot served as emcee for the event, which featured a cocktail hour, dinner, silent auction and live art installation by Alec Monopoly. Wen by Chaz Dean, the hair- and body-care brand by hair stylist Chaz Dean, served as the event’s sponsor. On the turntable: Samantha Ronson. On the runway: Paris Hilton, Lele Pons, Jaime King, Jenna Ortega and Mikaela Hoover were joined by a handful of Make-A-Wish recipients. Another Make-A-Wish recipient, named Neal, appeared onstage with his mother to convey his thanks to the nonprofit organization, which raised funds to send Neal and his family to the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort in the Bahamas.
“My trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas started with my first-ever ride in a limo. Our hotel room was so high up, we could see the whole island,” he said. “After three years of chemotherapy, the 200-foot water slide was just what I needed to remind me what fun was all about.”
Before inviting the guests to donate funds to Make-A-Wish, Elliot reminded the group that “the average cost of a wish in Los Angeles is $10,000.”
That cost could fund a trip like Neal’s or pay for a backyard renovation for children who are not mobile, he said. Further, $7,500 can fund an education program for kids with special needs, $5,000 can pay for a room makeover to make sure a child’s room is a safe and fun place to be.
“Since we were founded in 1983, we’ve created over 9,000 wishes—that’s almost a wish a day—and we want to do more,” said Frances Mojica, vice president, development, for Make-A-Wish Los Angeles.
Photos by Araya Diaz, Michael Julius Photography.
