Vogue Charity Fashion Show supports Almost Home with virtual event
For the past 24 years, the Queen’s and Kingston communities have come together to produce the Vogue Charity Fashion Show (VCFS). The annual show, combining music, design and dance in support of a charity in the KFL&A region, is streaming online this year, due to pandemic restrictions.
Typically held at the Grand Theatre for three nights in early March, the VCFS has had to make drastic changes to its operations. The executive team have been working tirelessly to plan what they believe will be an effective alternative, and allow them to raise money for their cause this year.
“To begin, everything that could be done virtually this year has been, from executive meetings, to dance rehearsals, to some virtual photo shoots,” said Emma Black and Gili Zobary, VCFS Co-Outreach Coordinators. “Our Co-Presidents, Ciara Halloran and Christina Pillkahn, have been leading the way in switching VCFS over to this year’s virtual format.”
All proceeds from VCFS’ 2021 fundraising efforts and ticket sales will be going to Almost Home, according to a release from VCFS. Almost Home is dedicated to providing a home away from home for children and their families who are in Kingston to receive medical care.
“We have decided to move forward with an online show that will be broadcast live on Friday, March 26th and Saturday, March 27th of 2021,” said Black. “In addition to the change we have seen with the format of the show, COVID-19 has also impacted our fundraising efforts drastically. We have had to change the way in which VCFS supports Almost Home to maximize what we can offer during these tough times.”
During conversations with Sam McCleod from Almost Home, the Co-heads of Charity for VCFS, Joel Fiset and Lucia Beram, said they recognized an opportunity to provide the charity with used clothing for their thrift shop in downtown Kingston, which will be opening this spring. In the fall, the VCFS charity team began collecting hundreds of bags of clothing donations from Queen’s students and the Kingston community for the thrift store.
The theme for the 2021 show is Convergence, which organizers say, at its core, is about celebrating the beauty when individuals’ paths converge and form meaningful connections with one another.
“It is in times like these where we crave human connection. Whether it be a smile from a stranger or the touch of a loved one, we all need one another,” shared VCFS creative directors, Lyba Nasir, Anika Ines Bousquet and Erin Healy. “Whether they are positive, negative, simple, complex, or a combination, our relationships influence us deeply. These collective interactions are integral to the vibrancy of our lives and the discovery of our senses of purpose.”
“This year, VCFS celebrates the beauty of the convergence of our separate paths, which lead us to form connections that leave the world better than we found it,” they continued. “When our paths converge, we have the power to create meaningful change.”
Tickets for the event are on sale now. There are different package options, some of which include products from sponsors. Purchase tickets online for the March 26 and March 27 shows, and support Almost Home while enjoying the showcase of creative talents of over 170 students.
Read more about the annual show on their website: https://www.voguecharityfashionshow.com/