D.C. uses fashion to show their puppy love

D.C. socialites and their canine friends took to the runway Saturday night to raise money for the Washington Humane Society.

The third annual Fashion for Paws fundraiser brought 1,200 of DC’s bold-faced names together to see the hottest trends in Spring fashion, along with raising money for animals in need.

{mosads}“This is a can’t miss event,” said Katherine Kennedy, who walked the runway.“People in this city have seen everything. This kind of event is something different.”

The thought of being the “can’t miss event” was exactly what Tara de Nicolas, the brain child of Fashion for Paws, had in mind when she created it three years ago.

de Nicolas said that while trying to decided how to create a unique event that would stand out from other charitable galas in D.C., she came up with the idea of using fashion to get people excited about donating to the Humane Society.

Saturday’s event at the Italian Embassy brought in $240,000 for the Washington Humane Society, the largest amount raised its three-year history.

The centerpiece of the evening activities was a fashion show displaying the hottest looks for Spring ’09.

The collection featured everything from flirty Nicole Miller dresses to the brightly-colored, edgy designs of Betsy Johnson.

The D.C. socialites in the show looked chic, but the stars of the evening were the dogs in attendance, many of whom walked the runway.

The animals, some dressed in doggie couture, paraded down the runway to adoring hail of oohs and ahhs.

Notable figures spotted in the crowd included: NBC’s Luke Russert; Steve Chenevey, co-host of Fox5 Morning News; and Samy K from The Kane Show on Hot 99.5.