From the Fount of Montblanc, for 11 Days Only

Anthony Kennedy Shriver and Kamie Crawford at Montblanc/Best Buddies International partnership launch party. Photos by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images North America.

HEAD’S UP: Please help Yours Truly in welcoming aboard our first intern, Jennifer Mendoza. Jennifer has a Mass Communications degree from Lehman College and has studied at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology). Fashion is one of her passions, so expect various expressions of it here, usually on Fashion Thursday. Without further adieu, Jennifer’s debut …

BY JENNIFER MENDOZA

AT Montblanc, eleven is the number. Eleven percent of proceeds of sales from 11 percent of Montblanc stores over the course of 11 days will be donated directly to Best Buddies International.

Is the luxury brand paying homage to the New Year with the 11 designation? Regardless of the reason, the promotion began on Tuesday (1 March) with soirees at Rodeo Drive (Los Angeles), San Francisco, Orlando, Tampa, Chicago, Boston, King of Prussia (PA), Houston, Dallas, and of course, New York (Soho and Madison Avenue). It is in effect until 11 March.

The crowd at the Montblanc Madison Avenue store amid wares whose purchase can go toward a good cause.

At each location a “friend of Montblanc” acted as co-host of the party. In Houston, socialite and fashion-maven-in-the-making Becca Cason Thrash did the honors. Katherine Schwarzenegger, daughter of the former governator, Arnold, greeted guests on Rodeo Drive. Founder and chairman of Best Buddies International and uncle of Katherine S., Andrew Kennedy Shriver welcomed a large crowd on Madison Avenue (and by extension, Soho).

One of the fresh, young faces at the New York launch was Kamie Crawford, Miss Teen USA 2010. Her thoughts about the cause? “Amazing! I have been working for Best Buddies for over two years. It is a pleasure for me that Montblanc wants to donate to such an amazing cause.”

Anthony Kennedy Shriver and a best buddy, Marissa Kurlowicz, have a moment at Montblanc cocktail party celebrating its relationship with Best Buddies International.

Best Buddies is a global non-profit that creates opportunities for friendship, employment and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Final contributions from all proceeds will be presented at the Best Buddies Gala in Palm Beach on 18 March.

To learn more about Montlbanc, visit http://www.montblanc.com/; for Best Buddies International, http://www.bestbuddies.org/.

Eastern Prints & Western Forms of House Rossil
The diamond keyhole front dress, left, from House Rossil's UtBT line. Photos from House Rossil.

TIRED of the same style old styles???

Now there is a new place to shop for the spring/summer wardrobe and future wardrobe needs. None other than House Rossil (http://shop.houserossil.com). It is the new online boutique that is an extension of the Washington, D.C.-based women's apparel and accessories design house of the same name.

With the new site, House Rossil also introduces its UtBT capsule collection of mostly dresses. The line of cotton and cotton blends, designed and manufactured in the United States, is inspired by African textiles and the popular silhouettes worn by fashionable women on the streets of not only D.C., but New York City and London.

The UtBT sheath dress promises style and comfort.

UtBT, priced from around $158 to $365, has a tropical/earthtone/neutral color scheme: orange, green, brown, turquoise, navy, red, b&w – such a good match for warm weather.

House Rossil is not just a shopping destination, it also offers some full-service boutique services such as fashion and styling advice. Whether they buy or not visitors can leave the site with various options of how to rock the outfits in their closet. The weekly lookbook will feature ensembles that show visitors how to wear both UtBT and future House Rossil pieces. Personal shopping is also available.

Visit http://http://www.houserossil.com/ to learn more about House Rossil and the UtBT collection.