Student models strutted their stuff on the runway, showing off the latest fashions at the 10th annual student-run Fashion with Compassion (FWC) fashion show and boutique held on Sunday, February 11. Around 260 enthusiastic guests filled Zeldin Hall at the Stephen Wise Temple for the event, which returned to Wise after being held at Milken in recent years. Revolve, Athleta, Vimmia, Sane Boutique, Gemelli Clothing, Crossed Clothing, Horseplay, and The Hamsa Club were just a few of the companies that generously donated clothing for the show.
The chairs of this year’s show were Alliyah Farahi ’18, Ariel Nickfardjam ’18, and Taylor Gabayzadeh ’19. They were in charge of all of the details and making sure everything ran smoothly. From finding a date to hold the event to contacting vendors for monetary or clothing donations, they had their hands full with all the logistics involved in putting on a successful event. Milken students were among the vendors selling their wares at the boutique. Elliot Saeidy ’18 and Natalie Geiderman ’19 sold hoodies from their company Crossed Clothing. Alexa Salimpour ’19 had homemade cookies from her venture Sweetened by Alexa. Alexandra Kamran ’19 featured her line of jewelry, Tennis Court Co.
There was plenty of delicious food to choose from. Simcha Treats provided hot dogs and hamburgers, Dippin' Dots sold ice cream, and Uba Tuba sold acai bowls. According to Gabayzadeh, this year’s show featured a wider variety of clothing and food items at the boutique than past years. There was also a DJ, a student from YULA, playing the latest tunes, and guests could strike their favorite poses in the Beverly Hills Photobooth, which came for the second year in a row.
Proceeds from the show go to Neve Michael, an organization in Israel that provides a safe haven for children who have been removed from their homes by Israel's Welfare Department due to extreme traumatic circumstances such as family dysfunctions or neglect, violence in their homes or mental physical and/or sexual abuse.
“FWC is a truly empowering cause. Not only are the committee members helping some of the most vulnerable children in Israel, but we are also learning life lessons about the professional world,” remarked co-chair Farahi, who has been an FWC chair for three years.