“Style and substance” has always been marie claire’s guiding mantra, and on Friday night in Sydney, it found its ultimate expression — a celebration of red dresses, strong women, and a shared commitment to fighting heart disease, one of the leading killers of Australian women.
At Sydney’s Catalina restaurant, designer Michael Lo Sordo and Carla Zampatti CEO Alex Schuman, both known for celebrating women’s strength and style, spearheaded efforts to raise more than $265,000 for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute’s Soirée by the Sea.
Guests, including Richard Wilkins, Alex Schuman, Shari-Lea Hitchcock, Kate Champion, high-profile lawyer Rebekah Giles, and Chadwick Models owners, Marty and Michelle Walsh, threw themself with gusto into the ‘touch of red’ theme – think crimson tulle, bold lips, scarlet blazers and sequins, enjoying the Aperol Spritzes, Lallier Champagne and the beats of Club Sol as the sun went down on the city’s harbour.
Since 2004, marie claire has been a steadfast advocate for women’s heart health through its iconic Red Dress campaigns. From models draped in crimson couture on operating tables to powerful fundraising initiatives supporting vital research, each campaign has fused fashion with purpose.
Yet the statistics remain sobering: twenty-two Australian women lose their lives to heart disease every single day—nearly three times the toll of breast cancer.
The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute is on a mission to change that, pioneering research that helps prevent, diagnose, and treat cardiovascular disease.
Conventionally, it’s thought of as a disease that affects older men – yet up to 1 in 100 babies are born with a heart defect, and Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD) – a sudden tear in the artery – is responsible for up to a quarter of heart attacks in women under 50, affecting women far more often than men.
The pioneering, world-leading heart surgeon Dr Victor Chang died in tragic circumstances in 1991, and more than 30 years later, the fight to prevent heart disease claiming women’s lives continues.
“Soirée by the Sea isn’t just about a great night out – it’s about making a real impact,” says James Camilleri, Soirée chair. “Heart disease affects people of all ages, and the research taking place at the Institute is giving hope to families everywhere. Seeing so many people come together at Soirée by the Sea to support that mission is incredibly inspiring.”
Since 2015, the Soirée has raised over a million dollars for the Institute.
Words: Benji Luis
