The exclusive Bal Harbour Shops hosted Destination Fashion “Seasons,” presented by Tova Leidesdorf, as it closed its doors for a private event for only the second time in its 40-year history all to benefit The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis. Grammy-award winner Gloria Estefan served as the evening’s Honorary Chair as more than 2,000 celebrities and influential people from the worlds of entertainment, media and fashion converged on the Southeast’s most stylish beach community to raise more than $2 million for The Buoniconti Fund.

High-profile couture fashion designer Michael Vollbracht for Bill Blass showcased his exclusive Fall/Spring Collection in a breathtaking fashion show, presented by Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour, in the Destination Fashion Arena. In addition to this Florida debut of the Collection, the evening featured the announcement of 2007’s Women of Substance & Style. Partygoers traveled through Bal Harbour Shops and were dazzled as the “Seasons” changed, ending up in the “Summer” Season for a Special Concert Performance by Donna Summer.

Produced by Barton G., the evening amazed and astonished supporters who feasted on decadent cuisine and took in unique and spectacular live interactive entertainment. Many of the Bal Harbour Shops’ stores donated more than $350,000 worth of one-of-a-kind items for a silent auction that ended at the main event.

All the proceeds from Destination Fashion benefit The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, the international fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, based at the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. The Miami Project is the world’s largest, most comprehensive research center dedicated to finding a cure for paralysis. Founded in 1985 by Dr. Barth Green and NFL Hall-of-Famer Nick Buoniconti after a football injury left his son Marc paralyzed, Buoniconti is pleased to be working with Bill Blass and Bal Harbour Shops to raise money for spinal cord injury research.

“This event is a unique convergence of fashion, entertainment and fundraising, and we’re thrilled to be involved with Bal Harbour Shops and Gloria Estefan,” said Nick Buoniconti.

“As a longtime supporter of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, a board member of The Buoniconti Fund and someone who knows what it's like to struggle with paralysis, I was pleased to be Honorary Chair of this very special event,” said Gloria Estefan. This evening will go a long way in helping raise the necessary funds to reach our goal...to find a cure for paralysis!"