VintageNOW Fashion Show set for next weekend

Southeast Missouri's Safe House for Women is hosting its ninth annual VintageNOW Fashion Show fundraiser Oct. 20 at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau for the first time.

Last year's show was held at the Osage Centre in Cape Girardeau, but Safe House executive director Jessica Hill said it has been relocated this year due to last year's crowd size and this year's expected 1,500 to 2,000 attendees. Since it began, the fashion show has raised over $350,000, she said.

Hill said this year's VintageNOW theme is "The Big Show" and will be based on a vintage circus theme with "just incredible outfits."

There are two fashion segments to the show, Hill said, "So each model has two completely different outfits."

Last year, Hill said the event met the goal of $80,000. This year, Hill said a goal of $90,000 has been set.

She said the annual event began when owner of Pastime Antiques in Cape Girardeau Deb Maevers had a collection of vintage clothing she wanted to showcase.

"She and her family talked about the best way to do that and they came up with the idea of having a fashion show that would benefit a local nonprofit that served women," she said.

Hill said the change in venue will provide the organization with a lot of opportunities to "do even more spectacular things" with the fashion show. The fashion show is Safe House for Women's largest fundraiser, Hill said.

Proceeds from this year's show -- and last year -- are earmarked for the organization's Safe Tomorrows campaign, to construct a larger shelter, she said. Earnings from the show are made up of individual ticket sales, banquet tables and more than 30 sponsors.

"VintageNOW has made that possible for us," she said. "Every dime that's raised stays right here in Cape Girardeau to support women and children."

From a casting call in the spring, Hill said a cast of 40 women "from all walks of life" were selected to participate in the fashion show.

"Deb works really hard to involve new people every year, as well as returning models," she said. "We have people of all ages."

The Safe House for Women -- established in 1991 -- is a not-for-profit, private 501(c)(3) domestic violence agency providing safe shelter, 24-hour crisis hot line services, intensive case management, counseling, court advocacy, referral services and education programs, according to the organzation's website. It also provides safe shelter and a crisis hot line as a source of immediate help for victims of domestic violence and abuse.

The Safe House for Women reported 657 hotline calls in 2017. It provided shelter for 93 women and 37 children in 2017.

Tickets for the event and more information can be found online at vintagenow.org.

jhartwig@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3632