The VCUarts Fashion Event is the highly anticipated pinnacle celebration for the Department of Fashion Design + Merchandising at the VCU School of the Arts. The event, which features original concepts from fashion design students in front of an audience of hundreds, is a highlight of the academic year and a spectacular runway event where the students’ designs are artworks in their own right.
Support the Fashion Event
Support the 2026 Fashion Event - Synergy
Please consider making a donation to secure your seats for 2026. For more information about becoming a 2026 Fashion Event sponsor, contact Steffi West, director of development for VCUarts, at wests5@vcu.edu.
Sponsorship Levels
Learn more about the Fashion Design + Merchandising program, our Annual Fashion Event and our sponsorship levels, recognition and benefits.
2026 Sponsors
Thank you to the following sponsors for generously supporting the 2026 VCUarts Fashion Event:
Runway Sponsors
Rachel Grove Dalton (B.A. ’05)
Melanie Trent De Schutter (B.F.A. ’78)
Kieran Donahue (B.F.A. ’93) and Joseph Marinucci
Nita Enoch (B.F.A. ’97) and Jack Enoch
Karen Parsons Phillips (B.F.A. ’88) and Family
The Phoenix
The Rock Foundation
Deborah Valentine and Thomas Valentine
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Reception Sponsors
Victoria Bleick and Charles Bleick
Reji Carreras (B.F.A. ’70, M.A.Ed. ’80)
Michelle Gluck and John McGurl (M.D. ’93)
Marie Kimmel (B.F.A. ’84)
Pam Royall
Tracy Stallings (B.S. ’85, M.S.H.A. ’95) and Tom Stallings
Marcia Thalhimer and Harry Thalhimer
Fashion Partners
Deidra Arrington (M.B.A. ’09) and Steve Arrington
Lloyd Backstrom and Art Backstrom
Patricia Brown and Robert Bierly
Molly Dodge (B.S. ’89)
Debra Fitzgerald (B.F.A. ’86) and David Fitzgerald
Frances Kahn
Kimberly Guthrie (B.F.A. ’89, M.A.E. ’98)
Carolyn Garner and Thomas Garner
Karen Kelly (B.S. ’96) and Pat Kelly
Sharon Larkins-Pederson
Sophia Li (B.A. ’13)
Sandra Mihaloff and Philip Klaus
Candace Osdene (M.S.W. ’75)
Our Life by Stella’s
Karen Palen and John Palen
Tamara Rabil (B.F.A. ’93) and Albert Rabil
Alexandra and Brock Saunders
Schroder Davis Law Firm, PLC
Gail Schwartz and John Jay Schwartz, 1st Ultimate Ram (B.S. ’69)
The Pink Lady Shop
VCU Women’s Impact Network
Verdalina
Meredith Weiss
Sandra Wilkins (B.F.A. ’72) and Tyrone Wilkins
The VCUarts Fashion Event is supported by the newly established VCUarts Fashion Show Endowment through a generous gift from Kieran Donahue and Joseph Marinucci.
