Top designer Karl Lagerfeld of Chanel has designed a limited-edition T-shirt for Saks Fifth Avenue to raise funds for the store's 2008 "Key to the Cure" breast-cancer campaign.

The Entertainment Industry Foundation is a partner with Saks in the 10-year-old initiative, and actress Gwyneth Paltrow is this year's spokeswoman.

The long-sleeve T-shirt, with a colorful sketchy front-and-back design, is $40 and available now. More than $35 of each one sold will benefit EIF's Women's Cancer Research Fund.

In addition to shirt sales, 2 percent of all Saks sales at stores and online from Oct. 16-19 will be donated to local organizations through the fund.

Also as part of the campaign, Mercedes-Benz will donate proceeds from the sale of 1,000 special-edition versions of its S550 sedan to women's cancer research.

The gift is expected to be about $1 million, which has been the annual average in each of the past six years.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and there are numerous fashion- and beauty-related items for sale this month that donate a portion of proceeds to the cause.

Nordstrom at Ross Park Mall will be the site of a three-hour charity event on Oct. 22 for Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. It's hoped that $200,000 will be raised.

The opening party is 7 to 10 p.m. and will feature runway fashion shows at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., cocktails, dinner, dessert buffets, live entertainment and time to shop in the 138,000-square-foot store.

The honorary chairpersons are Peggy and Steve McKnight.

Tickets are $125 (or $250 for premium) at 412-454-9137. Complimentary valet parking will be available.

Also at Nordstrom: From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday will be "Nordstrom Fits Pittsburgh," a bra-fit and shopping event to benefit the Pittsburgh chapter of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. One dollar will be donated to the fund for the purchase of every bra made by a participating brand, ranging from Betsey Johnson, Calvin Klein, Chantelle Fantasie and Freya to Le Mystere, Natori, Spanx, Wacoal and Elle Macpherson Intimates. Customers will be able to select from more than 6,000 bras ranging from size 30AA to 46FF.

Although it is hosting these two events, Nordstrom does not officially open to the public until Oct. 24.

Meanwhile, Kate Spade and True Religion are the two newest high-end stores to open at Ross Park. They join Burberry, Coach and Louis Vuitton. Other major retailers slated to open prior to the mall's Nov. 8 grand reopening are Michael Kors, Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand, Martin + Osa and Tiffany & Co.

Now through Oct. 13: Carlisle and per se holiday '08 womenswear trunk show by appointment; call 412-242-4742 or e-mail Bebe.Felman@verizon.net.