Generosity reigned at the St. Madeline Sophie’s Center Haute with Heart Fashion Show

There was no faux at the 36th Haute with Heart Fashion Show with more than 700 people in attendance. Sophisticated Rhythms brought fashion, entertainment and many generous people together to help the more than 400 students with developmental disabilities at St. Madeline Sophie’s Center (SMSC).

There was no faux at the 36th Haute with Heart Fashion Show with more than 700 people in attendance. Sophisticated Rhythms brought fashion, entertainment and many generous people together to help the more than 400 students with developmental disabilities at St. Madeline Sophie’s Center (SMSC).

Held at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront on Saturday, the event comprised of silent and live auctions, students performing and the grand fashion show with a diversity of the latest in styles provided by stores at Fashion Valley Mall. 

The event entertained the crowd of philanthropist and encouraged them to dig into their pockets raising tens of thousands of dollars to reach its goal to help the continuing support needed for the students of SMSC.

This year’s honoree, Joan Eichen, a long-time supporter of SMSC donated $36,000 to the Fund SMSC in honor of it being the 36th consecutive fashion show gala.

Some of the highlights of the show included Father Joe Caroll’s speed dial call to God invocation from his cell phone, both whimsical and moving and stirring the challenge to support a great cause. SMSC student Bryce Johnson’s rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” moved the crowd to tears and cheers followed by student Kelly Boland singing Norah Jones “Don’t Know Why.”

Dancing to Frank Sinatra’s “Come Fly with Me,” the SMSC Dance Troupe brought the crowd to their feet with its enthusiastic performance and the fashion show, with celebrity guest and students showed off fashions from Macy’s, JC Penny’s, Tony Bahama and many more. And the fashion show went well beyond the runway as patrons dressed to the nines in the latest and greatest of the present and past trends in clothing.

Completely run by volunteers and the generous donations for auctions, items and art created by students and participating vendors giving 25 percent of sales to the cause, people from all over San Diego County came out in full swing with support for this year’s event.