New Canaan Women Hit the Runway for a Good Cause

NEW CANAAN, Conn.  – As a young girl, Eileen Boyd of New Canaan always wondered what it would be like to strut her stuff on the catwalk as a model.

“You read the magazines, Vogue, Seventeen and it looks so glamorous,” said Boyd. “But obviously, life gets in the way, and I’m not 6-foot-4 and thin as a rail.”

This Friday, Boyd and other models – for a day, anyway – will be in front of the cameras and getting all the attention as part of Couture For A Cause, an annual gala presented by the Young Women’s League of New Canaan.  The festivities kick off at 7 p.m. Friday at the Loading Dock in Stamford.

Boyd, an outgoing vice president on the league's board of directors, is one of nearly 20 models who will model clothing and jewelry sold at New Canaan stores. The league had previously held a fashion show as part of its Ladies Night Out, but it has grown in popularity and now it’s a fun evening that is a fundraiser, a celebration of fashion and a chance for partygoers to enjoy some laughs. The evening will also feature cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, dancing and a silent auction.  

Boyd took part in last year’s fashion show as well. Despite admitting to nerves before taking the walk, Boyd says she and the other models have fun and enjoy a sense of camaraderie before and after stepping out and showing out. “We’re all in it together. You go out there, you’re not sure if your outfit is on properly. You’re so nervous, but it happens so quickly and it’s so much fun.”

Boyd said she never dreamed of becoming a model, but getting to play one for a day satisfies a curiosity about being a focus of glamour. “It’s all hysterical and we laugh at ourselves,” she said.

Proceeds will benefit several YWL charities, including Mercy Learning, Person to Person and The Workplace. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased at the website for the Young Women’s League.

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