First annual fashion show benefits HOPE

On Saturday, Nov. 20th, crowds gathered at the Middlebury Town Hall Theater for the first annual HOPE “Model Citizen” Fashion Show. The event, which partnered local businesses with community members, raised approximately $3,000 for HOPE, which stands for Helping Overcome Poverty’s Effects. Tickets were $25 each, and all attendees were offered hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar before the models strutted down the runway. Andrea Solomon, chair of the fundraising committee for HOPE, organized the event, along with Rise Wilson, associate vice president for development in college advancement, Carey Wilson, designer for the communications department and Sue Byers ’55, and said it was an “absolute success.” The fashion show was modeled after the Boys and Girls Club’s similar fundraiser  in Burlington, Vt..

“It [the fashion show] helped promote local businesses, too, with virtually no cost to them besides taking products out of circulation for a few days,” said Solomon.

Fifteen local businesses, including Fourth n’ Goal, Edgewater Gallery, Wild Mountain Thyme and Middlebury Mountaineer, donated clothing, jewelry and accessories for the show. Several stores also contributed gift cards to the raffle. Solomon said there were 30 models who walked the runway, including three little children, a pregnant mother and a handful of others ranging from 14 to 65 years old.

Each model walked to a different song that fit the style of the clothing they wore. Solomon thought the choice of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, for example, was the perfect tune for the Ski Haus’ clothing because the store keeps closing and then re-opening.

“It was a fun and fantastic event and so many people were willing to donate their time to help,” she said. “The audience was hamming the show up, too. It was the best case scenario for a fundraiser and I felt a strong town response.”