It was all champagne, pink balloons and models clad in lacy underwear at the Breast Cancer Foundation's Girls Night In charity event, hosted by international model April Rose Pengilly at Sydney's Manly Wharf Hotel on Oct. 29.

Despite drizzly weather, more than 300 ladies donned their favourite frocks for an evening of fashion, food and frivolity, presented by upcoming label Underwear of Sweden, to contribute funds to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of the most common cancer among women in Australia.

In between raffle draws, scantily clad models, dripping in Pearls For Parris creations, paraded designs from Natavia and Underwear of Sweden.

For Underwear of Sweden creator Helen Pilhage, the cause is close to her heart. Her grandmother, Elisabeth, is currently fighting the disease. "She just had an operation back in Sweden to remove one of her breasts, so I wanted to do something. I'm hoping that tonight we'll raise around $8000," said Helen, who started her label three years ago. The night, she hopes, will be the first of many: "We're hoping to do this annually. It's about raising awareness of something that can potentially affect all of us."

While hostess April didn't don the underwear, the currently single model, most recently linked to Getaway's Jason Dundas, was looking glamorous in a Gina Kim design, and was all smiles off the back of a three-month modeling assignment in London. Still, her focus was on raising breast cancer awareness. "I jumped at the chance to host, because it's such a good cause," said April, 20. "Luckily I've not had anyone in my immediate family affected by the disease, but I know people who've suffered from cancer, not just breast cancer, and I've seen how it affects people."

While April's stepmother Layne Beachley, who is a celebrity ambassador for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, couldn't be there, her father, and Beachley's partner, INXS saxophonist Kirk Pengilly, was on hand to shine the spotlight on the cause - and provide some testosterone in a room full of high-spirited ladies. Said April: "Dad's such a cutie. He stands out, especially in a crowd full of women!"

By Alicia Neil  

Photo: Jeremy Yao