VintageNOW fashion show returns with futuristic theme, charity focus this Saturday

The VintageNOW fashion show is back for its 15th year — 14th show because of COVID-19 — and will be held at 7:30 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.) Saturday, Oct. 12, at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

This year, the fashion show has a new theme, “emPower: Journey to the Future”. Deb Maevers, founder and director of VintageNOW said this theme has been on its shortlist and she believes now is the right time to use it.

“Like I said, that’s been our, on our, you know, shortlist for a long time, and it just felt like this year was the right year to talk about the future, and it’s just going to be fun. You know, no one knows 200 years from now or more, what people will be wearing. So we’re just making it up, and we’re taking inspiration from a lot of cool movies that people in the audience will recognize,” Maevers said.

This show will be post-apocalyptic and, for the first half, they are calling it Savage Beauty, taking inspiration from movies such as “Dune” and “Mad Max”. For the second half, they will be taking everyone to space in the Space Age segment.

One part of the show Maevers is excited about is the halftime portion as it is something they have never done before. They will be doing a play of sorts with a mash-up between “Star Wars” and “The Wizard of Oz”.

“I loved this so much when we found it. It fits with our domestic violence themes so well, because Dorothy finds out at the end, she had the power all along. And with victims of domestic violence, they just need to find out and know that they have the power to get out of that situation and find a safe space, and there are people at the safe house that can help them do that,” Maevers said.

Guests will be challenged and encouraged to use their imagination on what they wear to the event.

There will be 61 models with different looks the audience can look forward to.

“We cast concerned women in our community who are willing to sometimes step out of their comfort zone, walk on that stage and be strong and raise money for all of those people that we’re talking about, all those victims of domestic violence that need help. As the director, drill into the models. You’re not walking like a regular model, you’re not modeling really. You are walking strong. That’s the thing that we use a lot — Walk strong. You’re walking strong for maybe your mom has gone through something, maybe your sister, your best friend, your daughter, maybe it was you that went through something, but you’re walking for the cause,” she said.

As of Thursday, Oct. 10, more than 2,000 tickets have been bought for the event. Maevers said they are anticipating 3,000 tickets to be sold overall for the night. All money from the fashion show goes directly to Safe House of Southeast Missouri.

“If we are able to help just one person in the audience get help because they were sitting at our show, it’s been a successful show,” she said.

The Show Me Center will have its concession stands and bar area open.

General admission tickets are still on sale for $25. Prices will increase on the day of the show to $30. Tickets can be bought at www.vintagenow.org or at Pastime Antiques, 45 Main St. in Cape Girardeau.