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| Rekha (Mosaic Service President), Nancy Rogers, Al Biernat, Juliette Longuet and Abi Ferin |
What does it take to get one of Dallas' most popular restaurants to close its doors during the lucrative lunch rush for a private charity event? For Al Biernat, it just took a request from Dallas fashion designer Abi Ferrin for an amazing cause. The first annual Freedom For Fashion luncheon to benefit Mosaic was held on May 7 and featured designs by Ferrin as well as NYC-based fashion designer Juliette Longuet. Fashionistas and influencers enjoyed a Mosaic Martini reception where guests like Mayor Mike Rawlings, Nancy Rogers, Jill Tananbaum and D'Andra Simmons mingled. A professionally staged and choreographed fashion show was enjoyed over lunch and afterwards guests could purchase their favorite items from the runway at a pop-up store. A percentage of proceeds from the pop-up store will also be donated to Mosaic Services.
The Abi Ferrin motto is Fashion with Freedom and Purpose, which comes full circle as a hand-made element is included on each item of her collection. “After experiencing personally what it felt like to be a victim of abuse, I know my purpose and am single mindedly pursuing it," say Ferrin. "While designing clothing that makes women feel confident and beautiful, I make them my partners in educating, empowering and supporting women who needed a voice. This also creates awareness of a global problem that is not fully understood through the exciting platform of fashion.”
Monies raised from the event will go toward a building a new shelter to expand Mosaic’s capacity meet the ever increasing need for its services. Mosaic is a safe haven for survivors of human rights abuses, primarily human trafficking and domestic violence. Mosaic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that offers free shelter, legal representation, counseling, and support services to survivors of human rights abuses. Since its inception more than twenty years ago, Mosaic has impacted more than 70,000 lives and has transformed North Texas into a community of hope. Mosaic’s Anti-Trafficking Program was the first anti-trafficking program in Texas, and Mosaic House was the region’s first emergency housing designed to serve both abused and trafficked women and children. Mosaic collaborates with local and federal law enforcement to ensure that identified survivors of trafficking are connected to the services they need to rebuild their lives. To learn more, visit http://mosaicservices.org.
