St. John Knits going strong at 45

The designers at St. John Knits have been busy.

Exclusive pieces designed to celebrate the company’s 45th anniversary have been shown in boutiques from New York to Costa Mesa, and its 2008 Resort/Spring collection premiered in a runway show at the Orange County Performing Arts center Tuesday.

Honoring the life and achievements of founders Robert and Marie Gray, who started the company in their Newport Beach home, the show opened with a slide presentation featuring a nostalgic look back at St. John’s beginnings.

Marie Gray was honored on Capitol Hill in April for her contributions to Childhelp, USA, an organization dedicated to preventing child abuse, and St. John continues to give back to the community by supporting charitable causes.

October is breast cancer awareness month, and St. John has created an exclusive collection of eight looks “inspired by the symbolic pink ribbon,” to benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The “St. John Collection for a Cause” will be sold in its boutiques beginning Oct. 6.

Through April 2008, St. John will donate 10% from each piece sold in the collection, up to $75,000, to the organization.

The boutique at South Coast Plaza will host an event Oct. 18 to showcase the collection. For more information, call (714) 662-6888 or go to www.stjohnknits.com.