THE CROWD:

It was the 22nd “fun and fabulous” spring fashion show and luncheon.

The Orange County chapter of Childhelp rallied 400 women and a few brave and fortunate men for lunch at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach this week.

Chaired with panache by Katherine Meredith and Nancy Whitlock, the party is expected to raise $150,000 for the children served by Childhelp’s Beaumont, California residential treatment facility.

Local Childhelp funds also support group homes located in Orange County.

The highlight of the afternoon was the fashion presentation generously underwritten by South Coast Plaza. The much-admired duo Debra Gunn Downing and Kathryn Glassmyer were on hand representing SCP, joining the very fashion-forward GM of Saks Fifth Avenue Gretchen Pace for a glitzy runway show presenting the latest designers from Saks, Bally, DKNY, John Varvatos, Leiber, St. John, Tory Burch and TSE.

There is a definite return to feminism in the Spring 2008 design. Interpretations of classic lines, ruffled edges, oversized bows and luxury fabrics highlight the season. Coming up this month, Oscar de La Renta at South Coast Plaza will host another of the region’s most active charitable groups, the Harvester’s, for an in-store cocktail reception to view the exquisite new salon showcasing some of the most glamorous fashions to be offered in some time. More on that later.

Back to Childhelp, the ladies honored Newport activist Debbie Magnusen with the Children’s Friend Award. Magnusen founded “Project Cuddle,” a crusade to rescue abandoned infants. To date, Cuddle has helped more than 550 newborns nationwide.

Front and center for Childhelp were Donna Anderson, Nancy Baldwin, Kim Bengard, Cleo Bluth, Leslie Cies, Jennifer Condas, Jean de Vries, Mary Allyn Dexter and Patti Edwards.

Also supporting the cause were Lorraine Hennessey, Sara Hinman, Linda Jacobs, Eve Kornyei, Priscilla Marconi, Diana Miner, Christine Bren, Suki McCardle, Ida Middlesworth and Joan Riach.

This evening the Newport Harbor Educational Foundation will gather at the swank Newport Harbor Yacht Club for the 15th annual “Anchors Away” benefit. The nautical-themed evening on the bay will be chaired by two dynamos, Sandy DeYoung and Cherise Ruiz,who are pulling out all the stops in order to raise an expected and impressive $175,000 for the school foundation.

Last-minute tickets may be available. Priced at $135 per guest, call Emily Evans at (949) 646-1556 or go to [email protected] to join the fun and support NHHS.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.