Holy Metropolitan fashion show this Saturday raises funds for chair lift
Rachel J. Whitfield
For the St. Louis American
On Saturday, June 4, Holy Metropolitan MB Church will host its 4th Annual Fashion Show and Brunch sponsored by the Holy Metropolitan MB Church Youth Choir.
There is a $7 donation to attend the Fashion Show, with all proceeds going toward putting a mobile chair lift on the stair railing leading to the church’s lower level, where the dining hall is located.
“This chair lift will help out so many in the congregation, including myself,” said congregant Wilma Fouche.
The church already has a chair lift that goes from the main level to upstairs, which cost roughly $3,000. The new one will need to be twice as long and should cost approximately twice as much.
“Because most of our congregants are second-, third-, and fourth-generation, when we have functions downstairs this limits the number who can attend because many are unable to make the trip down the steps,” said Angela Hornaday, a congregant who coordinates the fashion show.
Fouche said, “Sometimes that trip down the steps can be a bit much, but being able to sit in this chair lift that will take me downstairs will help me out a lot.”
For the past four years, Hornaday has coordinated the fashion show and the youth choir has sponsored and been featured models in it. The idea for the event came about “because the choir director for the Youth Choir saw that the kids had low self-esteem. They would come to choir rehearsal with their heads down and always had this sad look on their faces,” said Hornaday.
“A few years back, I went to support one of our choir members who participated in a fashion show at Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club, and the look that these girls had on their face was a positive one. I saw how the girls walked with their heads held high because they were proud of what they were doing.”
This year, the featured designer will be Jayda Chambly, a 13-year-old sixth grader who attends Yeatman-Liddell Middle Community Education Center in North St. Louis.
“In the past, DOTS has donated clothes for the fashion show, but this year to go along with those clothes we will feature some of Jayda’s own original designs,” Hornaday said.
Chambly says she started designing clothes “only about three months ago.”
“I thought about designing my own clothes because I like clothes and to go to the mall and go shopping,” said Chambly, who also will model her designs. “I would describe my own style as colorful.” The name of her line, JIC, is taken from her initials (her middle name is “Iman”).
Fouche, who is also the seamstress who has sewn Chambly’s designs, said, “She has always been so particular about how she has to have her things. Everything from her hair to her clothes, especially.”
Chambly said she watches the Style Channel and her favorite designers are Bill Blass and front woman for Baby Phat, Kimora Lee Simmons.
The theme for the 2005 Fashion Show is Back to the Beach.
“In the opening scene, the female models will be wearing hula skirts and tank tops and the male models will be wearing Bermuda shorts and tank tops while they pass out leis to guests,” Hornaday said.
“The menu will include non-alcoholic pina coladas, popcorn shrimp, and island deserts mixed with the traditional breakfast food.”
The 4th Annual Fashion Show and Brunch will take place on Saturday, June 4 at 10 a.m. at Holy Metropolitan MB Church, 1212 Academy Ave. Donations are $7.
