Couture For a Cause

Attended the Couture for a Cause 2015 fashion show November 7^th at Raleigh Convention Center with my daughter. I had purchased us VIP tickets, which I regret spending the extra money. The VIP section consisted of the first two rows, but there are only 5 rows so no big deal! Other «benefits» of VIP were being first to enter the event space, a «special» VIP only section to mingle in prior to the show and a «swag bag» given to VIP at the end of the show. Being first to enter would have been nice if we had been able to sit but we weren’t! Had to stand for over an hour even though the seats were there and ready. That is my biggest complaint of all. In the VIP mingle section there were 4, maybe 5, small benches that sat 1 – 2 people and they were monopolized by one group of people for the majority of the hour. The VIP section was roped off but no one was watching any section of it other than the entrance so anyone could (and was) coming in. The VIP section did have some mini desserts available that were not in the general admission section. There was a cash bar inside the VIP section and I believe 1 – 2 in the general admission section. Nothing was complementary, not even water, not even in the VIP section. You would think at least non-​alcoholic beverages should have been free to VIP’s. A bottle of warm water was $ 4. The «swag bag» was a joke. A handful of advertising magnets, hand sanitizer and magazines that you could get for free in the lobby. VIP tickets were $ 75 each, general admission $ 30. NOT worth the extra money, very disappointed!
The fashion show itself was awesome. Such amazingly talented designers. I loved and appreciated every design there. I so wish there had been more of the actual fashion show! There was a ton of talking and thanking people and companies, which is nice but honestly I wanted more of what I paid for… fashion show! If the amount of time they spent talking had been spent showing off the designs and designers it would have been much better. Next year… no VIP tickets for me, I will come an hour after the show starts because you still have at least 20 minutes before you will see any fashion and hopefully less talk and MORE FASHION!!!