By: Sarah Wright | Troy Times | Published September 2, 2025
TROY — Variety, a children’s charity, recently hosted its 11th annual SHINE Fashion Show fundraiser, featuring special needs children modeling eye-catching clothes.
Variety was founded in 1927 and helps provide children treatment for physical, mental and emotional needs, helping to build life skills and confidence. Variety also participates in humanitarian missions in developing countries around the world.
This year’s show took place Aug. 24 at the South Rotunda area in Somerset Collection, 2800 West Big Beaver Road. The proceeds will benefit the camp programs of FAR Therapeutic Arts & Recreation and the Variety 4-H Horseback Riding program.
“It’s for children with special needs, and all the models in the fashion show are special needs kids who benefit from FAR and Variety,” said Ruthie Seltzer, a board member with Variety.
The event usually raises around $40,000-$45,000 for the cause.
Each participant submitted a wish list of their favorite stores, clothing items and colors, and then a stylist collected the requested items and provided fittings.
The stores also gift the outfits to the kids, so they get to keep what they model. Some of the models went to Alex Emilio Salon to further prepare their hair, makeup and nails for the event.
“It takes about a year to put it together, organizing the kids,” Seltzer said. “Somerset is very generous in giving us the space. … So, it’s a whole day for the kids, you know, really getting prettied up, feeling wonderful about themselves — hence the name of the show, SHINE. It allows these kids to shine.”
The fashion show kicked off with a performance of “For Good” from the play “Wicked,” followed by each of the kids strutting down the runway to a song of their choice in their outfits. More than 20 models participated, accompanied by community mentors.
Briella Naif was one of the models this year. She has been a part of the 4-H Horseback Riding program for around six years. Variety also provided Briella with an adaptive bike when she was around 3 years old. She has been involved with the fashion show for around six years now.
“It’s a lot of fun,” said Caroline Naif, Briella’s mom. “We get to come to the mall, and she gets to pick out her outfit. … They have like five or six different outfits lined up for each model and she gets to try them on; she gets to figure out which outfit she wants to shine in. And then we go home, come back on the day of the show and she gets her hair and makeup done, and then she gets to just shine with the rest of her friends on the runway.”
For more information, visit variety.org or far-therapy.org.