Glamour with a goal: Fashion show raises thousands for charity

Winchester Rugby clubhouse swapped scrums for sequins on Wednesday evening as it hosted a sold-out crowd for a glamorous fashion fundraiser, raising more than £2,000 in aid of Breast Cancer Now.

The event was organised by local style and colour consultant Kate Moss-Jones, who drew on her own experience of breast cancer to bring together her passion for fashion and fundraising.

Guests were welcomed with prosecco and live music before browsing boutique stalls from across Winchester, including Mint Tea Boutique, SeagrassBay, Re:dress, Ellie & Bea, and H&B Style, who also contributed items to be worn on the catwalk.

Kate shared her personal story with the audience, recalling her diagnosis 18 years ago.

“It was very aggressive and had spread. My daughters were just four and five at the time, and I thought they would grow up without their mummy, just as my cousins had when my aunt died in her 30s,” she said.

She explained that the charity, then known as Breast Cancer Care, guided her through treatment and inspired her later fundraising efforts.

“I even went on to organise their annual fashion show in London for five years and worked with patients in Basingstoke Hospital to help them through chemo,” she told the crowd.

The evening’s catwalk show was the highlight, as first-time models (many of them Kate’s friends and clients) walked the runway to cheers.

Sequinned jackets shimmered under the lights, silk bras brought a touch of romance, and tailored trouser suits offered sharp sophistication.

Kate introduced each outfit, explaining the seasonal colour palettes of spring, summer, autumn and winter, which underpin her work with House of Colour.

Fashion, she told guests, had also played a role in her own journey: “When I was going through treatment, I wore wigs, my best colours and my best styles every day.

“Nobody knew unless I told them. It felt like a little victory over everything else that was happening.”

The atmosphere was friendly and celebratory, with the audience clapping, cheering, and even laughing when one model playfully pretended to stumble before flashing a grin.

Between the catwalk and boutique shopping, every ticket and purchase contributed to breast cancer research and patient care.

Kate added: “I love seeing local women supporting each other, all in the name of a great cause.”