Bellarmine's Fashion Show "Silhouettes of Style" on November 10 at San Jose Fairmont Hotel.

52nd Annual Fashion Show for Financial Aid Celebrates Diversity of Styles

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Bellarmine College Preparatory announced today that "Silhouettes of Style," its 52nd Annual Mothers' Guild Fashion Show for Financial Aid, will take place on November 10, 2006 at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose, first in a luncheon setting and later during a black tie dinner dance.

"This year's fashion show theme Silhouettes of Style is a tribute to the diversity of styles in our community," said Jody Knauf, 2006 Fashion Show chair. "For the past 52 years, Bellarmine moms have been able to share their unique styles by delivering one of Silicon Valley's most anticipated fund-raising events while achieving our goal of making a Bellarmine education a reality for young men who may not have this opportunity."

"For 155 years, Bellarmine has maintained the tradition of educating adolescents while developing them to be men for others," said Fr. Paul G. Sheridan, S.J., Bellarmine's president. "Through their efforts with this long-standing annual fashion show, the Bellarmine mothers are role models for their sons, exemplifying what it means to be women for others."

All proceeds from the Mothers' Guild Fashion Show are used to provide direct financial aid to qualified Bellarmine students and to the school's Financial Aid Endowment. Nearly 20 percent of the student body will receive financial aid this year. Since inception of the first fashion show in 1954, the Mothers' Guild has donated more than $3 million to Bellarmine's financial aid program. During the past two years this sellout fashion show has contributed more than $500,000.

"The Bellarmine community is diverse," said Mark Pierotti, Bellarmine's principal. "Through the money raised at this annual event highly qualified students, who otherwise would not be able to attend, will benefit from a Catholic education in the Jesuit tradition."

Men's, women's and teen's fashions will be presented in two shows on November 10 at the Fairmont Hotel San Jose. Luncheon show guests are predominately women while the black tie dinner dance featuring "Funky Little Shack" attracts couples. Fashions selected for this year's show will be modeled by professionally trained and choreographed Bellarmine seniors, faculty and mothers as well as by senior girls from Bay Area high schools.

Allen Denton and Lisa Kim, evening anchors for NBC 11, will emcee the donation drawing during the dinner black tie event.

Silhouettes of Style will feature clothing designs from Santana Row and Westfield Shoppingtown Valley Fair: Eli Thomas, Macy's, Jessica McClintock, Talbots and Club Monaco. Photography provided by Signature Images by Lori Rose, make-up by Stila Cosmetics, and hair designs by Dustin David Salon, formerly Portfolio Salon.

San Jose Magazine is the exclusive print media sponsor and NBC 11 is the exclusive television media sponsor for the Bellarmine Fashion Show.

The annual Bellarmine Fashion Show is traditionally a sold out event with guests attending from throughout the Bay Area including the following counties: Santa Clara, San Benito, San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Santa Cruz, San Joaquin and Contra Costa.

For more information about the event, including donation prize drawings and purchasing lunch or dinner tickets, please visit the Bellarmine Mothers' Guild Web site at http://activities.bcp.org/mothers_guild or call the Bellarmine Mothers' Guild at 408-294-9224, ext. 209.

About Bellarmine College Preparatory

Bellarmine College Preparatory has been educating young men since 1851, when it was originally founded on the campus of Santa Clara University. The school has been located on West Hedding in San Jose's College Park district for more than 80 years. Bellarmine students are educated in the Jesuit tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, and are encouraged to become "men for others." While Bellarmine strives for academic excellence, the school also seeks to instill a sense of responsibility through a variety community ministry and service programs. Bellarmine has a current enrollment of 1500 and a faculty/staff of 170.

NOTE: We would love to have you send a photographer and a reporter to cover the shows. Please contact Catherine Edwards at 408-406-9257 or [e-mail]