Fashion stepped out of the television and onto the runway with Fashion for Change’s fourth annual fashion show.
The two-hour show, held March 14 at the Hagey Hall Humanities Theatre and entitled <em>Primetime</em>: <em>A celebration of the eras that inspired great television shows</em>, ran twice for the second straight year: an afternoon show at 4:30 p.m., as well as an evening performance at 8 p.m.
<em>Primetime</em> featured modern dance, fashion, and music influenced by the themes of television shows past and present. Despite the contemporary clothing, the sets embraced the diversity of television’s history. “Provocative P.I. Trifecta” showcased the sexy vibe of ‘70s ABC hit <em>Charlie’s Angels</em>, and “Those Meddling Kids” took on the fun, mystery mood of the <em>Scooby Doo </em>franchise. Other inspirations included <em>Mad Men</em>, <em>Gossip Girl</em>, and <em>Fresh Prince of Bel-Air</em>.
Each scene’s clothing was sponsored by a Fairview Park Mall shop. Among them were Gap, Jacob, West 49, and Hudson’s Bay Company.
La Senza sponsored the <em>America’s Next Top Model</em>-inspired set “Smize.” Both risqué and risky, “Smize” closed the first half with lingerie pieces and staged acrobatics.
“We really tried to pick the stores that best reflect the theme of the [TV] show,” said artistic director Jonathan De Vela. “Fairview Park was a really big help for us as a sponsor.”
Three scenes showcased Fashion for Change’s own designs, including “Khaleesi: Queen. Liberator. Mother of Dragons,” a <em>Game of Thrones</em>-inspired set featuring the signature royal blue of Daenerys Targaryen. Fashion for Change vice-president Paul Bousfield donned a Khal Drogo outfit in the set.
Tickets were priced at $20 for the matinee and $25 for the evening bill. According to finance director Jocelyn Leung, the event sold over 1,000 tickets, with proceeds going toward the city of Moyamba, Sierra Leone. Fashion for Change adopted the city under Free the Children’s “Adopt a Village” campaign.
“[Our organization] focuses on artistic expression for a good cause,” said Tharani Thirumalairajan, Fashion for Change president.
Fashion for Change, a Feds-run organization, has raised over $50,000 for various charities in its four-year history. Over 200 people — executives, models, designers, choreographers, and other volunteers — contributed to this year’s event.
