Paolo Riva.
Courtesy of FDRA
After a high-energy weekend of events in Miami, Shoes for a Cure was back in the Big Apple on Tuesday evening for an intimate cocktail at Le Chalet at L’Avenue at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York.
The event helped fuel excitement ahead of the Shoes for a Cure charity shoe sale, taking place today through Sunday at Chelsea Market in New York. The sale, which raises critical funds for breast cancer research, brings together nearly 50 top footwear brands and 10,000 pairs of shoes and handbags under one roof. Four hundred volunteers from across the footwear and fashion industries are helping operate the sale.
At Saks, top donors and partners gathered for a fun and meaningful evening. Sandi Mines, president of the Fashion Footwear Charity Foundation and vice president of FDRA, talked about the importance of the industry coming together to rally around advancing cancer research and care.
And Paolo Riva, chief brand partnerships and buying officer at Saks Global, opened up about the retail company’s philanthropic mission and commitment to the cause.
Meanwhile, veteran journalist Katie Couric spoke about her own personal experience after being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2022. In heartfelt remarks, Couric introduced her surgeon, Dr. Lisa Newman, a breast surgeon at the Department of Surgery at Weill Cornell Medicine, who is once again the beneficiary of Shoes for a Cure’s New York effort.
Newman leads breakthroughs in treating triple negative breast cancer, and much of her research is focused on addressing racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer.
Other notable attendees at the cocktail included Debra Messing, Kevin Klein and Constance Zimmer.
Just before the event, Jimmy Choo, Roger Vivier and Alexandre Birman hosted activations on the shoe floor in support of Shoes for a Cure.
Shoes for a Cure, formerly Shoes on Sale, has raised more than $65 million, since its inception in 1994.
Click through the gallery for more from the event.