In pre-Internet times when a public figure or a celebrity died they would get an obituary in the papers. Nowadays, things are more global and we often share our grief online and post our condolences or tributes on social media.
As ordinary people that's the best we can do and that's perfectly fine as it shows our humanity. But could there be a better way to honour a public figure who has passed away? A scholarship or a grant seem to be great answers as they can help other people and take someone's legacy forward. Interestingly enough, in the fashion world designers who die are rarely honoured with scholarships by the large and powerful corporations or houses they worked for. It is instead with a scholarship that Isabel Toledo, who died in August of breast cancer, will be remembered.
Her husband, artist and designer, Ruben Toledo posted on their Instagram account news about the Fashion Group International that will introduce a scholarship in Isabel's name.
Ruben posted on the page the speech of the group's new President and CEO, Maryanne Grisz, who stated "Recently, unexpectedly, designer Isabel Toledo passed. Isabel and her husband Ruben have been part of our FGI family and members since the early '90s. Izzy, born in Cuba, took up sewing at the age of 8. She met Ruben, painter, muralist, author and were a true renaissance couple, living and working together in harmony. Isabel Toledo, an artist, visionary, a woman of integrity, purpose and grace. She opened our hearts through the passion of her work and being - Isabel - you will always be our angel."
Earlier on in October, the late fashion designer was also honoured at the Golden Heart Awards gala for the charity God's Love We Deliver. The latter provides illness-specific nutrition education and counseling to men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses.
During the ceremony Michael Kors presented the Michael Kors Award for Outstanding Community Service to Iman, and Presidential candidate Mayor Pete Buttigieg was honoured alongside John Dempsey, chairman of the M·A·C VIVA GLAM Fund, awarded with the Golden Heart Award for Outstanding Volunteerism and Community Leadership.
During his acceptance speech, Dempsey announced a new fund, inspired by the late Isabel Toledo: "In the spirit of giving back by looking forward, we choose not just to accept this award, but to share its power and its meaning with another. On behalf of M·A·C VIVA GLAM Fund and The Estée Lauder Companies, it is our distinct honor, privilege – and a rite of shared grief – to dedicate this award in tribute to a longtime, dear friend of God's Love, M·A·C, The Estée Lauder Companies and so many in this room: the late, indisputable genius, irreplaceable and desperately missed designer, artist and icon Isabel Toledo. Her partner in life and art for 45 years and beyond, artist Ruben Toledo, is with us tonight. Thank you for being here to celebrate Isabel's memory, her work, and her legacy – a legacy is sure to touch generations to come."
Isabel and Ruben Toledo worked with M·A·C and James Gager, former Creative Director at M·A·C, on a special collection in 2015; the Toledos collaborated also created artwork for holiday cards for God's Love We Deliver back in the '90s.
"Isabel's remarkable life was one defined by service and relationships," Dempsey continued. "She lived to create – to bring form to feeling. She was fluent in this language of translating intention into action, and lived her life in service to her art, fashion and fabric, the laws of physics themselves. She served and celebrated women and honored the mysterious duality of life – to clothe in order to reveal. She dressed to reveal a woman's unique beauty, confidence, dignity. To be in that presence of her gifts made us all feel a little bit immortal. Her art was not merely to be observed but to be experienced. Isabel was taken from us too soon, by breast cancer. What better way to serve and celebrate her than to share this award, and transform it into a gift."
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