Duff McKagan and his wife Susan Holmes McKagan teamed up with PETA to star in a smoldering “Ink, Not Mink” ad.

The couple aims to encourage people to be comfortable in their own skin and let animals keep theirs.

Susan explains, “I think everyone should share responsibility in bringing more awareness that, hey, [fur’s] not necessary, it’s out of fashion, it’s completely immoral to the animals.”

MusiCares

MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares' services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly influence the health and welfare of the music community.

A portion of after net proceeds from Susan's new book "The Velvet Rose" goes to this very important charity.

Special Olympics

Susan is honored to be a Special Olympics Ambassador.
Click on the thumbnail to read the thank you letter from the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games.

For more info: www.specialolympics.org

Former Supermodel Susan Holmes named "Swimwear Designer of the Year" at the Michael Awards in NYC

Susan Holmes,former Supermodel and now a top designer, was honored as Swimwear Designer of the Year at the 15th Annual Michael Awards for the Fashion Industry, held on May 7 at the New York Marriott Marquis Hotel.

The annual awards ceremony, referred to by the media as the "Oscars of Fashion," showcases and honors the best and brightest of the fashion industry. Previous winners in different genres include Cindy Crawford, Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, and Tommy Hilfiger.

As a senior in high school, surrounded by the San Diego surf scene, Susan Holmes made swimsuits just for fun. Unfortunately, for all the fans of her designs, she got sidetracked into another fashion field — modeling.

By the mid 1990's, Susan was one of the 20 highest paid fashion models in the industry modeling for such names as Valentino, Versace, Prada and Chanel. Not to mention her print and commercial work for everyone from Lagerfield and St. Laurent to Peugot and Revlon.

But it wasn't till years later, when she married Duff McKagan, (founding member of Guns n Roses and Velvet Revolver), and they began a family, that she revisited her passion for creating fashion. Susan has become equally successful with that, creating swimwear that in her own words “exudes charm with rock n' roll inspiration and attention to detail.

Holmes swimsuits are worn worldwide by celebrities such as Kate Hudson, Venus Williams, Elle Macpherson, Stella McCartney, Heidi Klum and many others. In a recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, she was the designer with the most suits featured in the spread.

One of the benefits she enjoys of having a successful business is the ability to give back over 10% of net proceeds to charities such as Project Angel Food, the only free meal delivery program in all of LA, the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental organization that works to protect the our oceans and beaches, and The Red Cross.

Even though she is mostly known for her modeling and designing it is her charity work and love of family that truly defines her success. It is clear that those years of modeling swimsuits gave her the instincts to know what women want in swimwear.

Susan is writing a book on successful "Hollywood Marriages" and what makes a strong marriage partnership.

She has also appeared on numerous TV shows with her swimwear designs and she appeared on Fox News Channel as the American Idol commentating expert.

The Michael Awards, also known as the "Oscars of Fashion", is a star-studded black-tie gala event that honors the stars of the fashion world, highlighting fashion icons, top designers, hot new fashion trends, leaders in the world of entertainment, media stars and supermodels.

Previous Michael Awards ceremonies have honored such luminary fashion figures as Oscar de la Renta, Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Regis Philbin and many others.

The event was held in New York City at the Marriott Marquis. Proceeds from the evening benefit the National Children's Leukemia Foundation, an organization whose mission is to provide the cure for cancer and other life-threatening diseases throughout the world, and to insure that all persons, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status or country of residence, have access to life-saving medical care.

The international acclaim and media coverage that this charitable event generates is tremendous. Most of all, this event helps make a difference in the lives of children suffering from leukemia.

The Michael Awards honorees were:

Kelly Ripa - Best Dressed Woman of the Year
Issac Larian - Entrepreneur of the Year
Dov Charney - Retailer of the Year
Rabbi Yechiel Ekstein - Philanthropist of the Year
John Varvatos - Men's Wear Designer of the Year
Joe Tremaine - Man of the Year
Lydia Hearst - Supermodel of the Year
Susan Holmes - Swimwear Designer of the Year
Keyshawn Johnson - Best Dressed Man
Burberry - Children's Wear Designer of the Year

The Michael Awards showcases and honors the best and brightest of the fashion industry in a black tie evening of glamour and style. It benefits the National Children's Leukemia Foundation (NCLF), a leading nonprofit in the fight against leukemia, cancer and other blood disorders.

Susan Holmes & Lydia Hearst

Nikki Taylor & Susan Holmes

Project Angel Food's Divine Design

In November of 2006 Susan Holmes began working in conjunction with Project Angel Food’s Devine Design. A charity project whose mission is to nourish the body and spirit of men, women, and children faced with HIV/AIDS and other serious illnesses.

Project Angel Food is the only free meal delivery program serving all of Los Angeles.

Over 1,200 meals are lovingly prepared and delivered each day. Devine Design sets up designers to donate their fashions, which go on sale and all proceeds go directly to Project Angel Food.

Many big names in the fashion world were on board this year to help out, such as Catherine Malandrino, Susan Holmes Swimwear, Guess?, Inc., Diesel, Kenneth Cole, Baby Phat, Trina Turk, Polo Ralph Lauren, and many more.

Please click on the logo above to
learn more or help out in this cause

Princess Ann Claire, Meghan Fabulous, Susan Holmes, Lesa Amoore, Volunteer, Caroline D'Amore and Marco Marco

Katrina Campus Relief

If you think Hurricane Katrina is a blow from the past (pardon the expression) you’d be better served to remember that nothing ever gets “fixed” as fast as the news forgets it. In Katrina’s wake, as news reports showed, areas in our Gulf Coast Region were wiped out akin to certain areas that were bombed in the Gulf Region.

Now, in the days following any measurable devastation communities pull together to help, the Red Cross gets involved, camera crews rush to exploit the situation and people start asking themselves the big question: What can I do to help?

For celebrity stylist, Michael Holdaway, this question revealed an idea, and as humans tend to do, he called the two pals he thought would help him: Lynda Stenge (a music industry professional) and…me (because I’ve been in fashion since puberty). Without realizing what an undertaking our enlisting would be, our “why, of course, darling” industry chic commitments were given!

So, what really, can a bunch of fashionistas and friends in linear industries do to help? Band together, call their friends, and beg and bother everyone they have ever known to donate, lend a hand, and spread the word.

The result? Katrina Campus Relief, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing college-level students affected by the Gulf Coast Hurricane with the necessities required to rebuild self-esteem and educational focus.

Susan is a proud Surfrider Foundation Lifetime Member!

The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots, non-profit, environmental organization that works to protect our oceans, waves, and beaches. Founded in 1984, Surfrider Foundation's most important coastal environmental work is carried out by Surfrider Foundation's 60 chapters located along the East, West, Gulf, Puerto Rican, and Hawaiian coasts.

Surfrider Foundation now has over 50,000 members in the USA; in addition, International Surfrider Foundation chapters and affiliates have been established in many foreign countries including the Surfrider Foundation Europe (with ongoing programs and Chapters in France, Germany, Spain, Portugal and Italy) as well as Japan, Brazil, and Australia.
For more info: www.surfrider.org