Guests 'Whig' Out Over Lolly's Locks; Inaugural Charity Food & Fashion Show Inspires

All photographs by Ben Droz for REVAMP.com.

NORTHWEST -- Equal parts food, fashion, and inspiration, Lolly's Locks' inaugural runway benefit was held on Tuesday night inside the grand walls of the National Museum of Women in the Arts.

Guests began the event sampling a series of light bites that came courtesy of a handful of the area's top chefs, including The Source's Scott Drewno, Taco Bamba's Victor Albisu, Proof/Estadio's Haidar Karoum, and Red Apron Butchery's Nathan Anda -- all topped-off by drinks from award-winning mixologist Adam Bernbach (also of Proof/Estadio).

Yet the primary draw for the fundraiser was a special fashion show featuring apparel by Tsyndyma and wigs by Shevy Wigs.

The latter cuts to the very core of the Lolly Locks charity, which was created to honor the memory and legacy of Lolly Toll, who lost her 15-month battle with cancer in March 2012. During the course of her treatment, in order to mask the hair loss caused by chemotherapy, Lolly purchased two high-end, human-hair wigs.

But she and her daughters were stunned that such wigs range between a staggering $1,500 to $3,000/each -- all uncovered by insurance. And so the idea behind Lolly's Locks is rooted, with a mission to connect high-quality, human hair wigs with cancer patients who are suffering hair loss as an effect of chemotherapy, and who are unable to afford them.

As explained by evening host and WUSA9 Vice President Dr. JC Hayward, such wigs allow cancer patients to more fully participate in activities that they have always enjoyed without having to feel self-conscious about their appearance. And the value of such a sense of normalcy can't be discounted when it comes to battling the disease.

Joining Hayward at yesterday's event was guest of honor Lainie Mara Jones, who, at not even the age of 30, has already battled cancer five times. During her most recent chemotherapy regimen this past March, which happened to coincide with her wedding, she bravely allowed a photographer to document her shaving-off her hair, in order to avoid watching it slowly fallout as a result of her treatment.

No doubt encouraged by Tuesday's host committee, including event chair Michelle Schoenfeld, Bela Aggarwal, John Paul Hamilton, Cristina Marie Hosmer, Amanda Polk, and Crystal Torchio, supporters eagerly turned-out for the occasion, which, rather tellingly, was sold out.

An inspirational debut to be sure.