Project Ethos Presents Pop Universe: Inspiring Hope and Making Dreams A Reality

Take a look around and you can’t help to see that the world is changing evermore rapidly in this day than in the days before moving out of generation X and into generation Y.  With many Americans living on the brink of financial ruin and prematurely retiring their dreams, you can only began to wonder if we can pull ourselves out of the gutter of this demise and yet rise again. One organization that has manage to keep their thought process on rising above this debauchery – reaching dreams, instilling hope, and harnessing innovation – is Project ETHOS.  Partnering with Covenant House California on Friday, September 26, 2008, the two power houses of entertainment and charitable ingenuity put on Pop Universe, an evening of fashion, music and art, with sponsorship from leading innovative skincare company Borba, KIIS FM, Sean Healy Presents, and SiTV to name a few.

Hosted by Kerri Kasem, daughter of syndicated “Top 40” radio legend Casey Kasem, at the famed Hollywood venue The Avalon, the night shined a spotlight on the power we have to live out our dreams and in turn help positively change the world in which we live.  Pop Universe featured designs from seven up-and-coming fashion designers, three cutting edge bands, and ten extraordinary artists. “Providing opportunity to those that might not have a platform to showcase their talents is what Project ETHOS is all about,” stated Jason Peskin, co-founder and CEO.  “This is the third year that we have put on an event of this nature and it continues to grow as people come into the awareness of what it is that we are doing.” 

Not only providing a platform for talent, Project ETHOS provides a platform for social and cultural reform.  How we view music, art, and fashion is mainly driven by media telling us whether or not something is worthy of our attention.  When you look in the gap between over rated media hype and underground solitude, you are sure to find a plethora of artistic geniuses across all creative boards.  Project ETHOS is one of the microscopes enlarging your vision to see that which you have been unfortunately unable to see due to lack of exposure.

One of these “in the gap” artists featured at Pop Universe is Jen Garcia.  Garcia, fashion designer and creator of VIM TROUSSEAU, has been designing for most of her life.  Pulling inspiration from cross-cultural elements, the underground music scene, and just about anything that doesn’t fit into a square box, Vim Trousseau manages to teeter on the line of traditional fashion wherewithal while leading the pack in designs that inspire.  Futuristic ideas seemed to be the running theme with her Spring/Summer 2009 collection titled Cosmic Girl showcased at Pop Universe.  Bright metallic sheaths, patterned leggings, and short shorts embellished with satin blocks of color captivated the audience and had me wanting to see more.  After the show, I couldn't wait to catch up with Garcia and request a pair of the leggings I saw during the show. I was told by the designer that the printed leggings have a microchip print on them inspired by genuine circuit board.  Now, how's that for becoming a true Cosmic Girl!  

Designers Sun Leem’s classic collection of tailored women’s tuxedo slacks with hints of bling hugging the waist, contoured cocktail dresses, and wide leg travel pants in soft khaki was also a stand out.

Other designers showcasing their garbs included Jason Lee, Eva Devore, Shireen Jamehdor, Rachel Fainstadt & Ali Hijazi, and Syc Fuk.

Fashion wasn’t the only highlight of my night at Pop Universe.  The music of the night was more than a backdrop to any given models stride.  Headlining the evening was emerging elector/hip-hop group LMFAO featuring Red Foo and Sky Blu.  The talented and off-beat duo got the crowd pumped with their rambunctious lyrics and “you have to see it to know what I’m talking about” choreography. 

Making people aware of new talent was just one element of Project ETHOS.  The organization also wanted you to become aware of what you could do to give back to the community in which you live.  Hence the incorporation of the Covenant House California (CHC) which has taken on the daring task to end youth homelessness through its many charitable works.  Borba, who regularly partners with CHC, not only sponsored the event but sold inspirational quote bracelets for $5 donating all of the proceeds directly to supporting CHC and their cause.  During the nights event, Borba sold a total of 40 bracelets! All proceeds will go directly to CHC.

I was fortunate enough to gain a seat next to Scott-Vincent Borba, Founder and CEO of Borba.  Scott and his knowledgeable staff, who included VP of Marketing, Jennifer Norman, and Executive Assistant Robert Lachman, explained to me that not only is Borba revolutionary in terms of its skincare products, but the company is also revolutionary in how it operates to give back to the world in which we are so apt to take from.  Borba relayed that beyond the surface lies a fundamental core of all things when it comes to our bodies and our world.  If we don’t take care of the core, it is inevitable that the surface will suffer.  The approach that Borba uses when it comes to product development is the same approach used when interacting and giving back to the community. 

If you didn’t get a chance to attend this event and would like to know more information about Project ETHOS, Covenant House or Borba, please reference the following:

http://projectethos.com

http://covdove.com

http://borba.com

***Special thanks goes out to Brown+Dutch PR!