The lights are bright, the runway is sleek, the fashion is hot, the models are stunning!  What more do you need?  Oh yeah…your MISSION.

Fashion shows are a fun and funky way to raise funds for your organization.  There are so many themes from which to choose and delightful add-ons to make the night complete and memorable.

But what exactly are your guests remembering?  The clothes?  The models?  The food and drinks?  Will they remember the reason why they were there?  Will they leave your event and tell their friends about this awesome fundraiser for this amazing, impactful organization they just have to support next year?

Of the fashion shows I have planned and implemented, one stands out as the most successful, the most fun and the most memorable.  It was the first fashion show that really highlighted the organization’s mission and put faces to the cause.

Historically my organization relied on one large department store to provide clothing and models for our fashion show.  The event offered a buffet, a cash bar and row seating.  Creativity was very limited, there were no bells, no whistles and the clothing, though fashion forward, was not hip to our demographic.  It was boring.  It was expensive.  And something about the event was…missing.

The last time I checked, fashion shows are supposed to be fun and exciting, not a cure for insomnia. And fundraisers are supposed to have a deep underlying message.

So we shook things up a bit.

We decided on a Sex and the City-inspired theme, arranged for interesting passed appetizers and dedicated the Cosmo as the evening’s signature drink.  Each attendee upon arrival received a pink faux diamond to hand in at the bar for their first drink – on the house.  Our VIP guests received hot pink boas and had front row seating for the show.  Handbag, jewelry, makeup and shoe vendors lined the hallways with delightful items for sale.  It was a true fashion soiree!

A local high-end designer consignment shop was consulted to provide couture clothes, shoes and accessories for the show.  Once I explained the organization, the programming and our community impact, the shop was more than happy to be a part of the event.  I also explained that we had a very limited budget and they agreed to participate pro bono.

As you may know, models can be quite expensive and lots of work.  Rather than hiring models from an agency, we opted to stay local.  Very local.  We procured models from the participants of our programs.

Respecting confidentiality and privacy, it was strictly volunteer and none of the participants were pressured to participate.

I wasn’t sure if we’d get any interest at all.  I was very nervous, to be honest, and was quietly lining up my girlfriends to model just in case the idea fell flat.

The idea did not fall flat and the number of women who were interested in modeling was overwhelming!    Most of these women had never worn designer duds, had never had their hair, nails and faces styled by professionals and certainly had never sashayed down a runway.  It was exciting for them!

Actually, it was enchanting.  Each was a princess for the evening, which was well-deserved considering their successful yet difficult journeys through our programs.

Our emcee announced each model by first name, detailed the designers worn from head to toe and then, to the surprise of the audience, announced that each of our models was a participant in one of our programs and had volunteered to model.

I had never seen a standing ovation at a fashion show.   When our emcee concluded the show by saying, “These ladies are proud of themselves and proud of this organization and they are proud of you for supporting them,” I witnessed my first one.  And it was phenomenal.

The food was delicious, as were the drinks, the designer clothing was fabulous and the shopping was fantastic.  But our mission – the heart and soul of our organization – was the focal point of the evening.  That is what made this event so successful and brought 95% of attendees back the following year and increased ticket sales by 28%.

Never lose focus of your mission – your heart and soul – in the glitz and glamor of the evening.  The glitz will fade but your mission shines on.