Christian Siriano on Thursday night hosted his first charity fashion show at his Westport, Connecticut, store, The Collective West, in support of the nonprofit organization for breast cancer Pink Aid. 

Founded in 2011 by Andrew Mitchell-Namdar, Amy Katz, Amy Gross and Renée Mandis in Westport, Pink Aid is the “only national organization that gives compassionate support and rapid emergency financial assistance to patients in treatment, supporting families during this critical time,” as stated on its website. 

“Pink Aid’s mission is to supply compassionate support, critical resources and emergency financial assistance to underserved breast cancer patients and their families,” Mitchell-Namdar said ahead of the runway show, adding the corporate has been in a position to support greater than 20,000 women across 40 states.

“We wish to say that Pink Aid is on the intersection of breast cancer and poverty. In line with a latest study done in February 2023 by the American Medical Association, over 35 percent of breast cancer patients within the U.S. will face financial toxicity while they’re battling the disease and in treatment. While there are such a lot of organizations that find very needed research, we began Pink Aid really to maintain lights on and food on the table; to assist financially insecure patients pay their bills, and supply compassionate services to assist them make it through treatment in order that they will then return to their productive lives,” Mandis said, adding the corporate is now in search of a national sponsor to fulfill their goal of “turning 50 states pink.” 

“I’ve been on this business now for 15 years. You meet every sort of woman whenever you make clothes, right? I just kept hearing so many horrible stories of so many ladies which are struggling a lot. I actually think people don’t realize how hard it’s for day by day life,” Siriano said backstage, adding the charity is near his heart. “I just wanted people to get a little bit of fantasy, because they don’t get to see fashion.”

The sold-out show raised money for the breast cancer organization through ticket sales and seated 205 survivors, friends and supporters, including the likes of Whoopi Goldberg, Natasha Beddingfield, Ken Downing and Rosie Perez.

“It’s so nice sometimes whenever you do a fashion show outside of the conventional world because you possibly can feel the audience, they get a bit more excited. It feels good. It’s at all times nice to do it for those people — they’re the purchasers, they’re those actually buying the garments, so you’ve got to offer them something too,” Siriano added.

Titled “Pink Fantasy Fashion Show,” Siriano’s 25 runway looks spanned from archival silhouettes (dating back 10 years) to a select number of recent styles, all in various shades of pink, including the viral Barbie pink. 

“I pulled out a few of my archive pieces for a reason. I believed, ‘ what, they sit there, nothing’s happened to them.’ A number of the pieces have never been on a runway as they were from resort collections. We wanted things that had never been really seen,” he said, adding the thought of sustainability, by giving clothes a latest life, was also a part of the conversation.

The lineup was optimistic, joyful and exuded loads of feel-good fantasy, which he continually, and excellently, delivers. 

For example, he showed vivid fuchsia gowns and ruffle-sleeve suiting from his resort 2023 collection, a sleek baby pink corset look from pre-fall 2023, an extravagant pouf ball skirt from spring 2021, a number of lovable matching pink plaid sets from resort 2019, striped ensembles from resort 2017 and plenty of more. 

The show closed with considered one of Siriano’s newest creations: a voluminous, frothy tulle ball skirt with a sheer black crop top, covered in 3D butterfly appliques. At all times finding latest ways to excite and interact his community, Siriano said the brand new looks might be available for purchase.