London’s newest events space, ‘Altitude London’, continues to raise more money for the British Red Cross in aid of Haiti, with Hollywood actress Lindsay Lohan. Following the success of last week’s celebrity charity fundraiser iRock4Haiti*, which has raised so far an impressive £55,000, ‘Altitude London’ has launched an eBay auction in association with The British Red Cross, which will be hosted on both eBay and their website from February 23rd 2010.

The lots for the eBay auction have been personally sourced and donated by Lohan and ‘Altitude London’, with the aim of bringing the total sum raised to over £100,000. Prizes include a money-can’t-buy Limited Edition NYPD Car signed by Lindsay Lohan. The NYPD car has just been used in a Viral Marketing Campaign to launch ‘Altitude London’s’ new venue ‘The River room’ to The United States market.  Other auction lots include; 4 nights at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, as well as an afternoons shopping and lunch with Lindsay Lohan, a trip in a Phenomenon 100 Jet to Paris for a Michelin Star Lunch, the ultimate cinema experience at the Millbank Cinema for the winner and 400 friends AND a VIP party for 200 guests including a champagne reception at Altitude 360. Phewph!

A cheque for the total amount raised following the event and auction will be presented to The British Red Cross on completion of the eBay auction on March 5th 2010.

British Red Cross Director of Fundraising, Mark Astarita explains; “All the money raised will be used by the British Red Cross to fund work in Haiti. Red Cross staff and volunteers have been in Haiti since the earthquake struck and are committed to being there long term. There are many, many people in Haiti who still need help, so bid for one or more of these prizes today and help raise crucially needed funds.”

http://www.redcross.org.uk/standard.asp?id=70564

An unmissable exhibition of paintings, unique prints and films celebrating some of Warhol’s most remarkable works is opening at Olyvia Fine Art next month.

The exhibition will showcase famous pieces as well as other previously hidden gems. Alongside these exclusive portraits, will be a rare series of ‘Screen Tests’. These enchanting silent films created by Warhol provide a voyeuristic record of the characters that once roamed his factory studio; characters, which ranged from Hollywood celebrities and well-heeled aristocrats to reputed academics, cultural figures and trendy beatniks.

The subjects are Factory denizens and visitors, both famous and anonymous. Asked to pose, they were recorded by Warhol’s stationary 16mm Bolex camera on silent, black and white, 100-foot rolls of film. In the early screen tests, Warhol asked sitters to strive for a “static pose,” which resulted in flat, graphic, meticulously lit, and nearly entirely stationary images that looked like high-quality studio photographs. Later, Warhol even considered packaging the Screen Tests as $1000 pieces of living-room art: “Living Portrait Boxes”. These ‘Screen Tests’ further portray Warhol as a serial portraitist and exhibitor of bizarre, beautiful, and disturbed individuals.

Warhol, the key initiator of the American pop art movement and an avant-garde filmmaker,  mixed with an array of vastly diverse communities. This colourful crowd lent inspiration to his work and he painted commissioned portraits of copious personalities, whether famous or obscure. He quickly became, according to Art historian Robert Rosenblum, “court painter to 1970s international aristocracy”. His style was unique and despite the efforts of critics to highlight the flaws of his style, it was precisely this atypical outlook on art that led to Warhol’s remarkable success.

The exhibition at Olyvia Fine Art will include iconic portraits of Swedish actress Ingrid Bergman, artists Joseph Beuys and Robert Mapplethorpe, socialites Doda Voridis and Karen Lerner, athlete Tom Seaver, Chinese political leader Mao Zedong, the reigning Queen Elizabeth II, and a unique self-portrait accompanied by a photograph of Warhol taken in 1965 by New York photographer, John McCabe.

Olyvia Fine Art, 17 Ryder Street, London

Opening Night, 16 March, 2010, 6 – 9pm

www.olyviafineart.com

FS:X, the St Andrews Charity Fashion Show, will be breaking the strong precedents set by its 18 year history by moving into a brand new, one-of-a-kind venue for the biggest event in the student social calendar tomorrow evening.

Students and press will be treated to a spectacular affair within the industrial walls of the Guardbridge Paper Mill, located just outside of the quiet coastal town. The unique space is a far reach from the traditional venues used by the show, and as the Mill is set to be demolished in the coming months, will be the first and last time that it sees such a party.

Guests will be treated to a show featuring huge names such as Vivienne Westwood, Nicole Farhi, Manish Arora and Georgina Goodman, paraded on the catwalk by a team of St Andrews’ own student models. The event has attracted the sponsorship and support of corporate names such as IBM and P&G alongside champagne house Nicolas Feuillatte and local favourites like Jack Wills, as well as our very own Handbook.

FS:X is also kindly supported by patrons Sarah Harris of British Vogue, and Daniella Helayel of Issa London, whose gorgeous designs will be making their mark on the catwalk.

All profits from the event will go to Watoto, a Ugandan-based charity providing education and rehabilitation to the war-torn nation. With over £150 000 already raised in the show’s history, FS:X is set to continue its amazing legacy with this year’s show.

The Handbook wish FS:X the very best for Saturday night!

For more details go to www.standrewsfashion.co.uk and www.watoto.org

Some of the world’s hottest talent join forces for The Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser at London’s Roundhouse in aid of the worst natural disaster in a decade.

The most talked about of rock offspring, I Blame Coco (Coco Sumner) is taking the music world by storm with her unique style of reggae-tinged pop and will be joining the soon to be “Godlike Genius” NME award winner Paul Weller for the Haiti Earthquake Fundraiser at Roundhouse on Thursday 25th February. They are joined by KT Tunstall, Seasick Steve, The Futureheads and Mr Hudson. The established acts will be joined on stage by, amongst others, some of this year’s hottest new talent: Bombay Bicycle Club and Othello Woolf. With a thirteen act strong line-up that includes Grammys, Brit Awards and a host of UK top ten singles between them the night is sure to have something for everyone!

“This is the best ticket you’ll buy all year” Chris Martin, Coldplay.

With so many acts on one night and one stage, the event for ActionAid and Médecins Sans Frontières will feel like a 3 day festival in just over 6 hours. It is a line up that epitomises the ethos of co-organiser Katrina Larkin with a list of acts that crosses from rock to blues and soul to neo-soul, via reggae pop. Any good party needs a great host and such was the support from across music and media that this event has hosts in abundance, including Spinal Tap and voice of The Simpsons Harry Shearer, Radio 4 and Argumental’s Marcus Brigstocke and T4’s ridiculously good looking bunch of Miquita Oliver, Rick Edwards, George Lamb and Jameela Jamil.

The roster of DJ’s is as strong as all other parts of this event including house music favourite, Seb Fontaine with GarethGENO. Joining them is one of 2010’s most talked acts, The Maccabees plus Gavin & Stacey’s Mat Horne and the supremely chilled out Zero 7.

www.haitiearthquakefundraiser.com

On March 5th Tim Burton’s eagerly anticipated ‘Alice in Wonderland’ goes on cinematic release; and just in time Paul and Joe have teamed up with Disney to produce a limited edition ‘Alice in Wonderland’ beauty collection.

The collection comprises of ‘fantasy’ or ‘daydream’ compacts which contain a mirror, lip balm – coming in either pink or orange – and blotting paper with refill. Each one is packaged in a tin embellished with the beautiful and well-loved characters. With pictures of all the favourites such as White Rabbit, The Cheshire Cat and Alice, Paul and Joe whisk us back to the fantasy land of the Oscar nominated animation.

Paul and Joe have certainly trumped with this, brightening up not only your handbag but your mood. The limited edition compacts retail at £25 and are set to launch at ASOS.com on March 5th and at Harrods and Fenwick on March 6th.