The American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection Concert is an iconic event where fashion, entertainment and philanthropy collide to shine a light on women’s heart health – and this year’s event was particularly memorable.
Major celebrities like Carly Pearce, Sarah Drew, Christine Lahti, Jaimie Alexander, Porsche Williams, Busy Phillips, Abigail Spencer, Reyna Robert’s, Teyana Taylor, Wendie Malick, Saffron Burrows, Susan Kelechi Watson, Liza Colon-Zayas, Miss America 2025 Abbie Stockard, Lorraine Bracco and many more came together to walk the runway to share their heart health stories while Sara Bareilles sing her biggest hits while accompanying herself on the piano. Suki Waterhouse also performed a phenomenal set accompanied only by acoustic guitar. The fabulous host was none other than Sharon Stone who frankly discussed her own health issues including having a stroke and introduced several female leaders from the American Heart Association.
This star-studded event took place on Wednesday, 1/30 at the Jazz at Lincoln Center in NYC, starting out with a two hour red carpet that had a concurrent cocktail party nearby. The food was amazing and included sliders, mozzarella paninis, key lime pie tarts, mini milkshakes topped with small cookies and more! Besides the preshow cocktail party, there is always a fabulous after party.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, claiming the life of one woman every 80 seconds and Red Dress Collection Concert is perhaps the most creative and fun charity event associated with NYFW. It seemed to used to always be on Valentine’s Day each year but now the event always happens a few days before NYFW and is considered to be an unofficial kickoff party.
Below you can see photos that I took of some of the most special moments at the Red Dress event. For more info on this inspirational event to all who have battled heart disease as well as their family and friends, go to: Red Dress Collection Concert 2025.
The red carpet wound up covered with more than 80 journalists and photographers and lasted more than two hours!
Some fabulous moments during the show included not only the commentary from Sharon Stone about her own health crisis and how she felt honored to be working with AHA, but songs by Suki Waterhouse and some sexy runway strutting from Miss America Abbie Stockard who bonded with Stone over both being “pageant girls” who do work for their own pet charities. (The Alabama native does a lot of work with the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.)
Sara Bareilles set included as much comedy and songs, and she reminisced about her old days in LA and then paying dues in NYC via the play Waitress. Everyone sang along to the hits performed including “Love Song” which went to #4 on the Billboard chart back in 2007.
The setting for the show was beautiful and it included two large screens above the stage. Not only was it heartwarming to see an audience full of women supporting the AHA but the acoustics were amazing and there was a huge stage for the celebrity models in red designer gowns to strut their stuff.
The finale is always very special at the Red Dress event. All the participants are super enthusiastic to walk the runway or perform and it really shows!
