Larchmont, NY -- The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS) hosted a Shop. Local. Fall Fashion Show on September 30th at the Larchmont Shore Club to benefit local businesses from the Sound Shore area.
The fundraiser, which will use the proceeds to assist local charities, featured the hottest fashion trends and merchandise to hit the runway from over 20 local stores.
More than 60 local residents, including the Mamaroneck High School Varsity Girls Field Hockey Team and local town mayors, including Joshua L. Mandell, Mayor of Larchmont, Norman Rosenblum, Mayor of Mamaroneck, Douglas French, Mayor of Rye, and Mayor Joan L. Feinstein of Rye Brook, modeled the latest looks.
Local clothing stores outfitting the runway included Outerluxe, Twinkle Toes, Mancino Tailors, Suede, Love by Bella Fiora, EB Barrett, Designer One, Lola, Siren, Dusty Rose, and the Golden Shoestring.
Field, Write On!, REcologie, Decoration Day, April's Closet, Wish, Lisa K Jewelry and Beirn Bags also stole the show.
Benefit Cosmetics and Salon Firefly provided complimentary make-up and hairstyling to models prior to the event and Massimo, owner of Salon Firefly, walked the runway.
“We have all observed the shuttering of great stores in our community and we felt compelled to try and reverse the trend,” said Melissa Donahue, JLWOS member and Chair of the event. “With the passion and enthusiasm of the women in the Junior League, we were able to host an amazing event that benefited multiple businesses in the Sound Shore area!”
“We would also like to thank our corporate sponsors, Julia B Fee Sotheby's, Westpac Institutional Bank, Citibank, Houlihan Lawrence and Cadillac, without whom this event would not have been possible,” continued Donahue.
Local businesses, storeowners, town mayors, and even a high school have banded together to make a difference for our local businesses.
"I applaud the Junior League's efforts to encourage residents to shop locally in the Sound Shore Community," said Joshua Mandell, Mayor of Larchmont. "The residents of our communities enjoy the benefits of a wonderful array of local shops, integrated into and embedded within our residential areas. We are all in this together. If we want to preserve this way of life, we must support our merchants by shopping locally."
“I want to thank the Junior League so much for organizing this event,” said Jackie McVicker from Write On! in Larchmont. “I have been active on the Larchmont Chamber of Commerce board for over a year and this is the best event yet that I have heard of to spur on local business.” Over 200 people were on-hand to enjoy the highly anticipated fashion show featuring some of the season’s hottest looks and runway trends from Palmer Avenue, Mamaroneck Avenue and Purchase Street. Westchester Magazine fashion and style editor, Laurie Yarnell, co-emceed the event with JLWOS event chair Melissa Donahue.
Guests enjoyed an evening of cocktails and appetizers while shopping for accessories and the latest must-haves from local stores offering an exclusive night of one-stop shopping. Locals, young and old, were “wowed” by the clothes and merchandise displayed by local merchants and all attendees received the “It” goody bag of the season, filled with treats and coupons.
“I am extremely proud of the outstanding work our volunteers do," said Dana Diersen Buehrer, President of the Junior League of Westchester on the Sound. "In our 60th year, they have revived a Junior League tradition, and put a new twist on it, making it fun, fresh, and fabulous, while focusing on the greater purpose of helping local merchants in our community.”
“Our League is committed to building stronger communities through the effective action and leadership of our trained volunteers,” continued Diersen Buehrer.
All proceeds raised by the “Shop. Local. Fall Fashion Show” will be used to assist JLWOS-supported community projects. 2010-2011 projects include Project Madres, a workshop program to empower immigrant women, Abbott House, a mentoring program at a transitional home for boys, SMART Girls, a mentoring program for girls, Sound Shore Medical Center Health Initiative, Furniture Sharehouse, a Westchester furniture bank that provides free basic home furnishings to those in need, and other Community Outreach projects.
The Junior League of Westchester on the Sound (JLWOS) is an organization of womencommitted to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the Sound Shore communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Itspurpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Founded in 1950, JLWOS is celebrating its 60th anniversary of service to the Sound Shore community. JLWOS is comprised of women from Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Port Chester, Rye and Rye Brook. If you are interested in joining or learning more information please visit www.jlwos.org.
Photos by and courtesy of LJ Studios Photography.
