This Old Bag
Celebrity handbags in your reach
By Tim Gaskin

Sep 17 | archive | subscribe

How would you like to own a handbag owned by Christina Aguilera, Suzanne Somers, or Deborah Gibson? Now you can and you can help women, and some men, who are too sick to work.

Organizers of This Old Bag, a celebrity and designer silent and live auction benefiting the Breast Cancer Emergency Fund (BCEF), have a variety of really cool purses from some famous celebrities, politicians and San Francisco personalities.

Imagine owning a bag from Senator Hillary Clinton, possibly America’s first female president? Or how about former San Francisco resident Sharon Stone or City socialite Ann Getty? Instead of tossing out their old purses, these celebrities have donated their old bags to a good cause and you can actually buy these items.

Suzanne Somers, a breast cancer survivor, manufactures her own line of handbags that are priced for the average American woman. “Styles,” she says, “that normally would cost many times more.” Somers recently cleaned out her closet to support the cause and they are up for sale. “If my bag at auction can provide assistance and help to a woman in desperate need, I am grateful.”

Emmy Award winning Cheryl Jennings, co-anchor of ABC7 News, is a pioneer in reporting on women’s issues. She agrees that yearly mammograms are important. “Breast health is crucial to all of us.  It means giving yourself permission to take care of yourself, no matter how busy you are.”

She knows first hand the importance of early detection; the disease runs in her family. “My grandmother and her sister both had breast cancer.  It was a scary time for our family to learn about the diagnosis, watch them go through the treatment, and then wonder whether we would be affected.’

Purses carry a special meaning to Jennings. “A handbag to me means something to carry some of my most precious family pictures to remind me about the important things in life.” To Somers, her purse is her pacifier. “When I go out, everything I could ‘possibly’ need is right there in my purse.”

Both sexes should make time to help the cause, says Jennings. “Breast cancer is an issue for men, as well as women, because of their wives, sisters, mothers, or other relatives.  It makes life a lot richer to know you had an impact on someone who needed help.”

“Give until it hurts,” adds Jennings. “Whether it's personal time or money! And if you don't have a lot to give, even a small amount of time or money could make the difference in someone's life. My parents did not have a lot of money with 7 kids in the family (5 girls, two boys) but we all donated our time to charitable causes.”

Somers calls breast cancer an epidemic saying it’s time to change all the old rules. “It used to be one in a hundred and fifty; now it is one in eight and soon it will be one in six. Women need to be their own doctors and forget what the insurance companies are saying about not needing MRIs or mammograms until age 40. They need to start at age 20 since there are thousands of young girls who are now suffering from breast cancer and cervical cancer and ovarian cancer.”

Sharp enough to get early checkups is teen pop icon Deborah "Debbie" Gibson. She believes This Old Bag is a smart idea. “Anytime you can take a serious cause and put a fun and unique spin on it and have people feel lice they are owning something personal from a performer, then that’s a good idea.”

She too has a familiar connection to the disease. “I visit my doctor regularly because it is in our family. Close relatives as well as and my great grandmother died from breast cancer; her at an early age. My mom took care of her when she was ill and suffering so I am mindful of it and I have a connection to it. Its one of those things that you cant raise enough money to fight.”

The singer/songwriter says she carries her life in her handbag. “Let’s just say that if they brought back Lets Make a Deal, I should be on. I feel like I could pull a rabbit out of hat. All my touch up, my CDs, scripts, it represents what I carry my life around in.”

As far as bidding on a purse herself Gibson says she’d rather spend her money on a new keyboard, but with one exception. “Eva Longoria’s handbag. I don’t work with stylists and I’m not that glamorous, but Eva has really great taste and the best style.”

Mike Smith, Executive Director, BCEF says getting the mail each morning is the best part of the day. “The office is stacked to the ceiling with celebrity bags from Christina Applegate, Fran Drescher, Minnie Driver, the Go-Go’s, Jewel, Donna Mills, Brooke Shields, and Rita Wilson to name a few.”

Bags have also been collected from local personalities such as Bella Farrow, OJ Shansby, Donna Sachet, and Jo Schuman Silver. Designer and retail bags received include Ame-Laukku, Tory Burch, Dante Beatrix, Calvin Klein Collection, Dolce&Gabbana, Diane Von Furstenberg, Alberta Ferretti, Gucci, HER, Eric Javits, Michael Kors, Luella, Helen Mariën, Moyna, Nepacena, Offhand Designs, Prada, Ralph Lauren, Rampage, Sondra Roberts, Alex Smith, Solas Fashion, Kate Spade, Stella Page Designs, Timbuk2, Toss Designs, Valentino, WaterField Designs, and Stuart Weitzman.
 
Like last year, a handful of handmade and one-of-a-kind bags have come in from Isabel Allende, Beatrice Amblard - April in Paris and Hilary Newsom Callan with Tiffany & Co. Organizers are keeping an eye on Callan’s creation, her hand-knit bag at last years event was bought by celebrity guest Jason Lewis of "Sex and the City'' for $2,500.

Callan, whose mother died in May 2002, at age 55, after a five-year battle with breast cancer, is an active host committee member of the event. Each year BCEF assembles an impressive roster of prominent San Franciscans to lend their name and talent for the cause. Bella Farrow, the "Queen of Nob Hill," heads the committee along with District Attorney Kamala Harris, Harry Denton and Wilkes Bashford.

Proceeds from the reception and auction will fund BCEF's program of providing emergency financial assistance to San Francisco’s low-income women and men battling breast cancer, by helping to pay their rent, utilities and medical bills when they were too sick to work. Since April 2001, BCEF has awarded over 650 grants. “It's great to know that wonderful events like "This Old Bag" will raise money for a good cause and people can have some fun at the same time,” said Jennings. “Life is sweeter when you can laugh and work together.”

A positive attitude and generosity are better traits to pass down says Somers. “I have always instilled into my children that giving is the ultimate receiving.”

More should be done says Gibson. “It’s everyone’s obligation to give more of their disposable cash. We all can come up with money for what we really want, so try refraining from one shopping spree and give that money to fight breast cancer.”

She says, “We’re all guilty of not acting until something goes wrong, so why wait? There are so many people in need of help.”

On October 19, 2007, Kaiser Permanente presents This Old Bag: The Power of the Purse, the third annual celebration of handbags benefiting BCEF hosted by W San Francisco. Guests will enjoy appetizers and cocktails while bidding on scores of handbags. The live auction will showcase the most valuable and coveted bags paired with other exciting items like cruises, dining and entertainment packages, shopping sprees and more! thisoldbag.org