Harvesters put fashion show to work to help feed the hungry
One event on the Orange County fashion calendar is so highly anticipated that it’s always sold out, prompting organizers to encourage would-be guests to add their names to a waiting list.
It’s the Harvesters Fashion Show and Luncheon, featuring luxury fashion houses.
At the 23rd annual festivities on Oct. 7 — held, as always, at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa — the Harvesters, a women’s auxiliary group, raised funds and awareness for Irvine-based Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.
The runway showcased curated looks from the 2015 fall and winter collections of 12 designer brands, including Salvatore Ferragamo, Versace, Ralph Lauren and Valentino.
Though luxury fashion is the topic of most of the party talk, the event is serious business. The Harvesters’ largest fundraiser of the year drew more than 500 guests, with 100% of the proceeds going to Second Harvest Food Bank. The money raised is still being totaled, organizers said Tuesday.
To date, Harvesters’ annual campaigns have generated more than $5.5 million for the food bank.
Harvesters member Alex Parker said she has been involved in a half-dozen fundraising boards but felt she was not making a significant difference.
When she learned that Harvesters helps Second Harvest feed more than 200,000 people in Orange County every month, and that the food bank uses more than 90 cents of every dollar donated toward hunger-relief programs, she wanted to help, she said.
“The women’s dedication, drive and commitment make this group so dynamic,” said Parker, who has been a Harvester for 14 years. “Not only is it such a beautiful and gorgeous event, but there’s such a feeling of compassion, and you know it’s directly feeding the hungry.”
Melissa Knode, Harvesters co-chairwoman, agreed.
“The women are very hands-on,” Knode said, noting that Harvesters members have gone to local farming fields to help put produce on trucks for meals for hungry individuals and families.
“We get to see firsthand how the food bank operates, and it always makes us want to do more,” Knode said.
But back to the fashion.
A silent auction sponsored by Swiss watchmaker Jaeger-LeCoultre featured items like custom-made earrings by Robert Procop, who has designed jewelry for actress Angelina Jolie.
The jeweler learned of the auxiliary’s mission and donated the earrings, Knode said.
After guests perused items including Giorgio Armani handbags and trips to Turkey and London, they headed to the Samueli Theater to watch the runway presentation.
The show was followed by lunch in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, where tables were adorned with hydrangeas, white roses and Diptyque and Jaeger-LeCoultre gift bags.
The luncheon was made possible by benefactors including South Coast Plaza, Roger Vivier and Saks Fifth Avenue, organizers said.
Second Harvest Chief Executive Nicole Sudyam thanked the guests and noted the fundraiser’s far-reaching effects.
“This event raises about 10% of Second Harvest’s private fundraising,” Sudyam said. “The highlight of this event is knowing that it will provide meals for nearly 1.5 million people. It makes a huge impact.”