Stina Sayre strutted slowly down the runway wearing a pair of stunning faux-fur chaps.
The Vineyard Haven fashion designer welcomed everyone to her 2021 Freedom Collection fashion show, with a reminder of the cause.
“We’re here to celebrate women’s freedom and to stay awake because . . . it seems like our nation is not paying attention,” she said.
Held in Ms. Sayre’s Main street Vineyard Haven store late Wednesday afternoon, the lighthearted show was meant to highlight the freedom of women’s self-expression, reproductive and civil rights, the empowerment of woman through fashion — and even the relative freedom from Covid-19.
Ms. Sayre has been designing clothes for over 30 years, and said activism always been a part of her work.
“The reason I’m doing this is because I dress women’s bodies. And it’s only natural to think about what happens after they wear their clothes that I make,” Ms. Sayre said. “Because the clothing is the language, and the language says power. This collection is about power. It’s about having fun. It’s about woman’s whole life, from play to work to evening.”
The suggested ticket price was $25 or “whatever your freedom is worth.” Proceeds will be split between Friends of Family Planning of Martha’s Vineyard and the National Institute for Reproductive Health.
“We are using the money you have been giving us tonight to share in between our friends of family planning on the Island, who provides great [service] on this scale,” Ms. Sayre said. “And then we have the National Institute of Reproductive Health (NIRH), which is a great organization that specializes in going into local communities and on state levels, talking to the legislators who need help in forming laws to protect abortion rights.”
Then the fashion show began. A playlist of female empowerment songs, starting with You Don’t Own Me by Lesley Gore provided the sound track as models walked through two dress forms that framed the makeshift runway.
More than 30 new looks debuted, including swimwear, evening wear and outerwear, all designed by Ms. Sayre.
At the end of the show, the models joined hands with Ms. Sayre and danced down the runway, pulling bras out of their tops to wave along to the beat of I’m Every Woman by Whitney Houston.
“I’m inspired by all of these amazing women who are my customers because they do amazing things,” Ms. Sayre said gazing around the event. “I am inspired by woman who are movers and shakers. I am inspired by clothes that are make us feel strong and also have the playfulness. So tying it in with this cause is so natural for me.”
On August 6, a First Friday event in Vineyard Haven, Ms. Sayre will host a conversation with Andrea Miller, president of the NIRH, at 6:30 p.m.
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