Published: April 13, 2011

Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH)’s Gym was packed on April 1. But there wasn’t a basketball game. Instead, the Fordham community traded sneakers for stilettos as Fashion for Philanthropy (FFP) unveiled its sixth annual fashion show: New York is My Runway, Fordham is My School.

The 70 club members transformed the Rose Hill Gym into a fashion runway celebrating the university and the city, while simultaneously raising money for the Make-a-Wish foundation, a charity that grants wishes to critically and terminally ill children.

This year’s theme borrowed the university’s popular phrase, “New York is my campus. Fordham is my school.”

Chelsea Becher, FCRH ’11, said she loved the theme. “I think we say that a lot, but we don’t always use it. I thought they did a really good job integrating Fordham and the city,” she said. “It was a good way to get school pride going and celebrate the fact that we are in New York.”

The show was split into two scenes: day and night. Each scene featured fashions appropriate for each time of day.  Fashions were worn by 28 student models who were chosen after an audition process earlier in the semester.

But co-vice president, Silvia Marte, FCRH ’11, said that in the end, it is all about the money they are able to donate, which she knows first-hand, being a “Wish kid.”

When Marte was a child growing up in the Dominican Republic, she was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia. She then moved to the United States for better medical care. When she was 13, a close family friend nominated her for a wish.

Marte decided to travel to Minnesota to the Mall of America, where she was given a shopping spree. She said when she heard about FFP, she knew it was the perfect club for her to join.

“I knew what a good cause it was and plus, I have a passion for fashion, so it worked out perfectly,” Marte said. “I was very sick, but it made me feel special. Even though I had a sickness, it was OK because people were there for me and wanted me to be happy.”

Molly McLoone, FCRH ’11 and FFP president,  was also directly impacted by the Make-a-Wish foundation. Her brother was diagnosed with leukemia in 2007 and received a wish in 2009. The foundation granted his wish to take a week-long family vacation to Atlantis in the Bahamas.

“When a family member becomes sick, it is like finding a new sense of normal. That becomes your normal. To go on a vacation for that week, and leave everything behind you, it kind of takes the weight off your shoulders for a while,” McLoone said. Her brother received his last treatment a year ago last Valentine’s Day.

The fashion show began with a montage of black-and-white photos of New York, intermingled with famous scenes from movies set in the five boroughs. Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” filled the gymnasium as the lights dimmed and the over 500 people who attended focused their attention on the runway for the first day looks.

The intermission between night and day featured a performance from Def Jam for Cutie, a newly organized dance crew comprised of Fordham students.

Johanne Sterling, FCRH ’11, has been a model in the show for the past two years. She said she enjoyed the simplicity of this year’s show.

“There was much less stress [than last year],” she said. “I liked introducing the day look before the night. Some models transferred parts of their outfits from the day scene to night, too.”

The models wore clothes donated from various designers, including Free People, Rory Beca, Rebecca Minkoff and more. Three student designers were also showcased, including Maggie McGowan, FCRH ’09. McGowan designed the last dress showcased, which was the favorite of everyone interviewed for this article.

“It was genius,” Becher said.

FFP also received donations from various food and cosmetic companies, including Pop chips, Izze sparkling juices, Hint water, Dove and LA Colors.  McLoone said companies usually donate around 300 items for the VIP bags that 300 guests receive, or a larger gift for the raffle.

“This year we branched out to blogging about donors and tweeting about them,” McLoone said. “That drew in a lot of sponsors.”

Megan Murphy, FCRH ’14, sat front row and said she plans to attend the fashion show every year. “It was amazing. It was well put together with good music. Plus, it was funny. The models were fun to watch.”

FFP currently estimates they raised $6,000 at the fashion show. They still have one more fundraiser this year before calculating their total net earnings and making a donation to Make-a-Wish.

“It’s an awesome cause,” Sterling said. “When you think of fashion, you don’t think of giving to others. You think of it as an indulgence in yourself. But this is all going to a good cause.”