Snow and ice didn’t hold the Alpha Chi Omega Couture fashion show back on Friday, Feb. 27.
Almost 500 people gathered at the Dallas Market Center to help raise over $80,000. All the proceeds from the fashion show and silent auction went to the Genesis Women’s Shelter and the Alpha Chi Omega Foundation.
The event allowed the sisters of Alpha Chi Omega to strut down the runway wearing top designs from Culwell and Sons, Betty Reiter, and longtime Alpha Chi Omega Couture sponsor Tootsies.
The main focus of the event is to bring more awareness to the women who have been affected by domestic violence and showcase the support they have within the Dallas community. Alumnae chair Anita Hubbard said, “I love the fact that it brings awareness to domestic violence and it allows us to do that in the company of our sisters, even though it’s snowing.”
The 2015 Alpha Chi Omega Couture is the largest to date by far in terms of ticket purchases and sponsorships. The organization is the first to raise $1.5 million for women and it is also the first women’s sorority to partner with the JED Foundation to prevent suicide and mental illness.
With a great turnout, AXO co-chair of the silent auction Brinley Williams said, “We actually met out fundraising goals through ticket sales and donations alone so everything we make through the silent auction now is icing on the cake.”
Supermodel Janice Strimple, who has been a part of the philanthropy event with Alpha Chi Omega at SMU for many years, emceed the fashion show. Strimple shared fun facts about the women modeling in the show and their impact in order to empower women who are affected by domestic violence in Dallas.
The Alpha Chi Omega Couture is an annual event, which has been run for nine years now. Willams added, “It’s great to see how all your work is going to something that’s making a positive change in the community.”
Alpha Chi Omega takes pride in growing forward thinkers allowing women to help women. The event was not only fashion forward but made a step forward in the fight against violence towards women.
