Posted by Danni Le Toullec on November 29, 2010
As part of their Design For Humanity charity initiative, Billabong held their second annual benefit to raise much needed funds for UNICEF's Pakistan Flood Children's Appeal last Wednesday night. Using the collaborative powers of the beautiful trifecta that is fashion, art and music - they managed to sell out Sydney's Oxford Art Factory. With 100% of all ticket sales going to the charity, to say the event was a success would be quite an understatement.
Australian fashion designer Lill Boyd collaborated with Billabong bikinis to produce a range of one-off swimsuits for the show. Bringing the beach to the factory, the glass divider room was transformed with sand, beach babes, beach balls, fluffy clouds and a deckchair. With long-legged, tanned beauties stomping down the Virgin Blue runway and an art wall decorated with glossy surfboards suspended against foamy waves, organisers did a great job of bringing everybody's favourite season to life.
Hailing from Brisbane, five-piece Operator Please performed many covers even dabbling in a bit of Destiny's Child's 'Lose My Breath'.
The Vines played a great set that inspired a death circle-esque mosh pit. They played a good mix of newbies amongst their earlier songs including the crowd pleasers 'Ride', 'Get Free' and their cover of Outkast's 'Ms Jackson'. A few punters sacrificed their bodies to the crowd, suspended by their sweaty compadres... one girl perched atop a friends shoulders flashed her tatas to a rather shocked Craig Nicholls. Before throwing his guitar into the crowd, Nicholls wound up the set by smashing his guitar into the drum set a few times then into the floor for good measure.
The poor stage tech was running after him trying to do a bit of damage control. The task of wenching the guitar from a couple of disgruntled fans fell to him... some people have all the luck!
Alison Wonderland played an awesome DJ set in the Gallery Bar mixing some old school hip hop and rnb.
Money raised on the night will go directly to the 9 million children suffering from the aftermath of Pakistan's worst flood in history. Props to Billabong for raising awareness and money for an importance cause, whilst also promoting Australian music, art, fashion and culture.
billabong, design for humanity, pakistan flood, the vines, operator please, oxford art factory