Junior Chi Omega Ansley Pridgens models in Friday evening’s annual charity fashion show hosted by Alpha Chi Omega. (Taylor Martin/The Daily Campus)
Students, alumni, family and friends came out to Alpha Chi’s annual fashion show Friday night at the Frontiers of Flight Museum to raise money for Genesis Women’s Shelter.
The event kicked off with a silent auction and a cocktail hour. People had the chance to bid on a variety of items from restaurant gift cards to gift baskets.
All proceeds from the auction help the Genesis Women’s Shelter, which provides a safe place for women and children who have run away from domestic violence.
“I just really like the style of the affair,” freshman Ali Hopkins said about the cocktail attire and location of the event. “It’s something that we don’t get to see a lot in college, so I’m really excited about this.”
After the auction, everyone made their way downstairs to watch a fashion show featuring designers from Highland Park Village.
Models walked the runway showcasing five designers: Anne Fontaine, Billy Reid, Scoop, Trina Turk and Vince.
“I came to see all the clothes on the runway. There were some really cute outfits,” freshman Hayley Waring said.
Jan Strimple, a couture fashion model, hosted the show. Strimple describes the different designers styles before the models strutted down the runway.
“These men and women are walking tonight for a purpose,” Strimple said. “They’re walking for those women who have been abused. They’re walking to raise awareness. They are walking to say, domestic violence stops with this generation.”
SMU students, from different sororities and fraternities, walked in four of out five of the designers’ clothing, while Alpha Chi Omega alumni from a variety of universities walked wearing Anne Fontaine in one segment of the show.
“It’s been a really great process,” Erin Hedrick, Alpha Chi Couture’s event chair said. “I’ve learnt a lot from it.”
“We started planning it back in March. It starts with the simple things like securing the venue and choosing the designers. Then everything built on that,” she said. “We spent the summer looking for big donations, title sponsors and silent auction items. At the beginning of the fall semester, we began ticket sales, smaller donations and trying to get community support.”
Alpha Chi Couture has raised more than $115,000 in the past five years.
Numbers for this year were not available at press time. However, it is estimated that they will be donating more than $40,000 to Genesis Women’s Shelter.
“I’ve been to the fashion show every year,” SMU Alpha Chi Alumni Megan Lembcke said. “I love the fashion show. The event keeps alumni, including myself, involved with Alpha Chi even after graduation. It’s just a great event for a great cause.”
