Empower: Journey to the Future Fashion Show takes center stage

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., (KBSI)- This year’s highly anticipated “Empower: Journey to the Future” fashion show is just around the corner, and excitement is building.

The Vintage Now fashion show raises money for the Safe House for women. The annual fundraising event strives to make a difference by shining a light on the darkness of domestic violence by raising awareness.

Official spokesperson Jeanne Muckermann said 100 percent of the proceeds go to support the safe house.

“The shelter that they are in would not exist if it were not for vintage now,” Muckermann said. “The money that is raised from this production initially funded to be able to build the shelter in the first place and continues to pay to maintain the shelter.”

Muckermann explained part of the vision behind this year’s theme, Empower – Journey to the Future.

“This year’s show is special and every year we are trying to come up with a new theme and this year’s show is into the future,” Muckermann said. “So we are empowering women to step onto that runway. We want to just spread that message that there is a future beyond domestic violence and sexual assault — and that’s how you can be supported here in our community.”

Models for the show come to an open casting call. They range in all shapes and sizes, from all walks of life, from 16 years and up.

Anna Davis is the cover model for this year’s walk strong mission. She is the face of Vintage Now 2024.

“It’s a massive honor; I hope I do it justice,” she said. “I’m on cloud nine, top of the moon.”

Davis is featured in a promotional video inviting people to come to this year’s futuristic themed show that uses beauty to raise awareness to end domestic violence. All proceeds benefit the safe house for women.

“To being handed the honor of them saying, ‘Hey, we want you to be the picture of that,’ — I still can’t believe it,” Davis said. “It’s such a blessing. I’m so honored.”

Davis is a teacher—one of 40 ‘real women’ that step outside of their comfort zone to participate in the show. Each woman is paired with one of four stylists to craft their look.

“There’s been a lot of tape-measures, a lot of fittings,” Davis said.

Rachel McNeely is one of the show’s veteran stylists.

“I think every year we get a little bit of a different response and every year we end up ahead of the trend,” McNeely said. “We put girls on the runway — we haven’t seen anything like that before and then every year immediately following the show in the stores there are similar looks.”

Stylists lean on the help of volunteer hair and makeup artists. Sarah Kilpela leads the networking for that team.

“Being a business owner there’s a lot of like brain work — and sometimes i feel like my artist side can dwindle so being able to flex my artist talent is phenomenal,” said Kilpela. “These are not the normal styles we do in the salon — we are doing more fashion and runway type stuff so it’s something different.”

Kilpela said the show creates a sisterhood between the models, artists, stylists and volunteers. She says it’s magic to see it all come together.

“We are in this sisterhood where we are with all these different salons working for a common goal and it’s not competition it’s collaboration—it’s promoting each other,” Kilpela said. “We are all working together for this common goal and it’s so empowering.”

As for Davis, she invites the community to come and take the journey to the future, where fashion, inspiration and hope meet the runway.

“This show has become vital to the community,” Davis said. “Dive in. Come see me, see whoever you know that is in the show or has gone to the show.”

The Vintage Now fashion show is the brain child of Deb Maevers, owner of Pastimes Antiques.

Proceeds benefit the Safe House for Women. Don’t miss this empowering event!