Fashion for a Cause held its annual fashion show Saturday to raise money for Charlottesville’s Marine Toys for Tots charity.
Titled “Once Upon a Time,” the show had a fairytale and storybook theme. Roughly 300 people attended.
The goal of the annual show is to combine artistic expression and community service in the University and Charlottesville communities, co-executive director Khaosara Akapolawal, a fourth-year College student, said in an email statement.
“There’s a lot of planning that occurs the summer before the show, and a lot of ideas that are thrown around between the executive board as well,” Akapolawal said. “The event itself — as well as the organization — comes from a larger genealogy and a love for community service.”
Fashion for a Cause originally stemmed from the organization “Pride” — a seasonal publication which promotes black cultural expression and style — and as result works heavily to support diversity and minority student involvement in its production.
The push to establish the organization as a separate entity came from a desire to create a more permanent, service-oriented organization while maintaining the original value of diverse expression, Akapolawal said.
The “Once Upon a Time” show was produced with the help of not only an executive board, crew members and models, but also designers and local stores like Banana Republic, which donate clothes.
Second-year College student Dale Houchins, one of the models for the show, said close to 100 people altogether were involved in the months-long process of putting the show together. There were more than 30 models in the show.
“As far as the actual show goes, it was actually a pretty long process getting ready,” Houchin said. “There was a lot of work we put into it and we started practicing in September.”
Showcased designers included members of the University’s Fashion Design Club, Fashion for a Cause executive board members and independent designers like Scheron Harley.
“Everyone wants to participate. It’s Fashion For a Cause — It’s not just for nothing, it’s not just to put on a show,” Houchin said. “Without the goal of raising awareness and volunteering we wouldn’t even have this show.”
All proceeds from Saturday’s show will go to the Toys for Tots charity. In past years, FFC has raised money for Habitat for Humanity of Greater Charlottesville, the University Children’s Hospital, and for college scholarships for local high school students.
Akapolawal said the group was thrilled with the results of this year’s show and hopes to see the tradition and success extended into next year’s show in Fall 2016.
Previous themes in recent years have included “The Global Excursion” and “This is How We Do It,” which focused on modern fashion differences across cultures and fashion trends in the media during the 1990s to early 2000s.
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