What a night! VintageNOW benefits Safe House for Women

More than 1,800 attendees eyed the VintageNOW Fashion Show’s 10-year celebration of granting liberty from domestic violence through “heroes and legends” on Saturday at the Show Me Center in Cape Girardeau.

Models from Southeast Missouri — male and female, young and old — swaggered down the runway in wardrobes spanning multiple decades, each with his or her own unique cadence, raising money for Safe House for Women.

Sports stars, fashion icons, medieval heroes, first responders, superheroes, judges, doctors and celebrities, including red jumpsuit-clad Britney Spears, Dolly Parton with teased hair, and video and movie character archaeologist Laura Croft were portrayed through elaborate get-ups married with chest-thumping bass, applause and shouts from the audience.

And local heroes also were granted runway time at intermission — doctors, police officers and veterans.

Moments before the show, VintageNOW six-year veteran and spokesmodel Jeanne Muckerman of Cape Girardeau — dressed as American singer and songwriter Stevie Nicks, and later country music legend Parton — said she and all the other models come from different walks of life, which is what she said makes it a fun experience.

“We bring interesting people together ... all of us just have a heart for supporting the Safe House and their mission,” she said. “By doing that, we’ve all kind of become a family with VintageNOW.”

Muckerman continued, “People have come to believe in the mission of the Safe House; people come to the [fashion] show understanding it’s going to be a night of entertainment, but then leave being an advocate for what’s happening at the Safe House.”

She said she hopes the night honors “those that were willing to try something different and to be a legend.”

Before the show, Safe House for Women executive director Jessica Hill said she sensed anticipation “about what we’re going to do here tonight.”

“It’s a big night for us, for sure,” Hill said. “The money that we’re going to raise [Saturday], we will use to support more and more people who have experienced domestic violence than we’ve ever been able to before.”

The monetary goal for Saturday was set at $100,000. The final amount raised was not yet available.

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 hotline services, case management, counseling, court advocacy, referral services and education programs, according to the organization’s website. It also provides safe shelter and a crisis hotline as a source of immediate help for victims of domestic violence and abuse.

For more information, visit semosafehouse.org.

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