Lauren Foster

    magine that you were enjoying a quiet dinner 

with friends  at a trendy restaurant. Suddenly, without warning a bald 6’1” African American woman jumps on your table and starts to dance. Your first thought might be “When am I going to wake up,” while the second was “I hope not too soon – because she’s fabulous!” Welcome to the world of Lauren Foster; the international “IT” girl: who on any given day might be hanging out with Natalie Cole, Madonna, Drew Barrymore, or Carmen Electra, and has been long known as the international party circuits’ most notorious blond. Beautiful and charming with a wicked sense of humor, the Sunday Times of South Africa referred to her as “ruthlessly glamorous with a bombe of blonde hair and such sharp cheekbones they appear to lightly pierce her flawless skin.”

 The 6’1” bald woman was none other than the dynamic Kevin Aviance. Lauren was organizing the Friday night Snow Ball for White Party Week in Miami, and Kevin wanted to be included on the entertainment bill. So, Kevin did what Kevin does best: made his presence felt. “I was totally unprepared,” Lauren told me. “I had met Kevin once before, but just briefly – we didn’t really know one another. My food flew everywhere; dishes and glasses hit the floor. No one knew what was happening. But Kevin was larger than life, just incredible: I hired him on the spot!” Lauren’s career as a party promoter was diverse – including the Democratic Nomination Party for Al Gore; the Charlie’s Angels Wrap Party for Drew Barrymore, scores of corporate and private parties like one she arranged in the Bahamas for a client that cost $2 million dollars.

But long before Lauren thrived as an international party organizer/promoter  she had already had a very successful 11-year modeling career; dated royalty and celebrities alike, traveled the world as tour manager for Grace Jones – and then later Boy George. Her life reads like a novel; rich in success, drama and unexpected turns. If I hadn’t talked with her one on one I would have sworn she was a character from the imagination of Danielle Steele. To my surprise and delight, she was a personality that floats effortlessly among the stars with her feet solidly on the ground.

Lauren Foster grew up in Durban, South Africa, and was born biologically male to a father who worked as an accountant and a mother that was a homemaker. When asked what her dreams were, she told me, “At 5-years old I wanted to be an actress, at 10 a dancer, and by the time I was 21-years old I was in Paris modeling for fashion designer Yves St. Laurent and then later graced the pages of VOGUE”

Lauren and I chatted for about an hour and a half or so,  about everything, and anything. We talked about synchronicity, creating one’s own destiny, life, love, career, and the aspects of being transgender. Here are excerpts of that conversation – hey, I can’t divulge everything (insert my smile here.) Besides, she has a book coming out later this year, so to know more you’ll simply have to make the purchase.

Read the Interview

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