Charity garden party offers the best of all things Italian

Tai-tais and elegant ladies, mark this day on your calendar. It's the annual Italian Day at Sandy Bay, Pok Fu Lam. More than half a million dollars worth of the finest Italian products will go on sale. What's more, it's all for a good cause.

For the past 15 years, the Italian Women's Association has been running the event to help raise money for the Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital, the only paediatric hospital in Hong Kong.

'The hospital is government-funded,' said association president Paola Caronni (pictured). 'But often that only covers the most basic treatment. We want to do more for the children, to make them feel better.'

There is a charming garden at the hospital where a bazaar of about 80 to 100 stalls will be held, along with a gourmet corner served by one of Hong Kong's finest Italian chefs.

'The stalls will sell all possible interesting Italian products of fine quality: shoes, toys, clothing, bags, jewellery, watches, sunglasses, food and wines and many more,' Caronni said.

Last year, 600 pairs of shoes were sold. 'This year we will have 2,400 pairs of elegant ladies' clogs to offer,' she said, guaranteeing to please the Imelda Marcoses of the world.