Wearing the work of Chicago-based designers, models walked the Orchestra Hall runway as conductor Stefano Sarzani and Civic Orchestra of Chicago musicians created an elegant ambience at the Overture Council’s annual Red Thread Fashion Show.
Lulu Hamilton
The Overture Council serves as Chicago Symphony’s young professionals’ network; it provides a welcoming community for professionals with a passion for music and a desire to learn more about supporting Chicago Symphony. Members frequently attend concerts, gather for meetings and plan events throughout the season, all the while working to bring new audiences to Chicago Symphony Center.
“Meeting people from various professional fields who share a love of classical music is probably my favorite part of being an Overture Council member,” said Dr. Valerie Mayuga. “The concert highlights with specially priced tickets, happy hours and intermission toasts are great perks. Members also have many fun volunteer opportunities with Chicago Symphony that let us help spread classical music to a wider audience. Best of all, I have made lifelong friends whose friendships extend beyond the walls of Chicago Symphony Center.”
In addition to frequent meet-ups and collaborative events with other arts organizations, the Overture Council plans and hosts the Soundpost series, which explores another side of classical music. A spring event, Bionic Synthmap with CSO member Katinka Kleijn, featured her in an immersive sound installation as she played cello and synthesizer from the stage. Then audience members were invited to join her on stage to participate in the music-making.
Another highlight of the Overture Council’s annual events is Fashion in Concert, its showcase that puts couture in the spotlight at Chicago Symphony Center.
“While our love and appreciation for classical music is what initially brings us together, being part of the Overture Council also gives us a chance to enjoy fun events like the fashion show,” said Mayuga. “We get to experience other art forms, which is enriching.”
Last season’s event, the Red Thread Fashion Show on Jan. 24, drew inspiration from the idea that an invisible thread binds us all — connecting performers, musicians and audience members into one living tapestry. Models wore the work of four Chicago-based designers: Kammarra B, Dana Asady, AJOVANG and Jason Devell. Conductor Sarzani and 20 Civic string musicians performed works by Tchaikovsky, Price, Mendelssohn and more. The evening was a great success, with 700 tickets sold and $47,286 raised. As an added benefit, 54 percent of attendees were visiting Chicago Symphony Center for the first time.
Overture Council members participate in selecting the designers, organizing model auditions, and promoting and executing the event. Reflecting on the evening, Mayuga remarked that “planning and putting together a creative outfit in alignment with the theme was [only] the first fun part of attending.”
“That night, the energy at the pre-show cocktail reception in the beautiful Grainger Ballroom was electric,” Mayuga said. “The room was filled with beautifully and creatively dressed guests, and photographers snapped photos of everyone. Sitting on the Orchestra Hall stage — transformed into a runway — and watching models strut in amazing one-of-a-kind outfits from local designers while a live chamber orchestra played was an experience unlike any other.”
Just two months after the Red Thread Fashion Show, the Overture Council joined forces with Chicago Fashion Week to present Behind the Seams: A Symphony of Style. Designed as a preconcert panel and concert experience, it brought two artforms together — continuing the creative dialogue sparked by the fashion show and illuminating the perspectives that bring fashion to life. After the panel, guests enjoyed the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s performance with conductor Jakub Hrůša and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes.
Mayuga is confident that the fashion show will become a staple on the Overture Council’s calendar. “It entices folks who aren’t necessarily lovers of classical music but may be curious. I’ve seen the event bring individuals into Chicago Symphony Center for the first — but not the last — time.”
Friday, January 22, 2027, marks the event’s fourth edition, to be titled Fashion in Concert: Genesis. The theme centers on coming into being: before fear, before shame, before division. The event imagines a utopia unfolding on stage, inviting all to explore how the arts intertwine. The Overture Council has already issued an open call to designers across Chicagoland to showcase their creativity.
“From start to finish, the fashion show lets attendees experience a beautiful mix of creative audio-visual elements that highlight fashion, all taking place in Chicago Symphony Center,” Mayuga said. “If you like dressing up, this is the night to wear that outrageous outfit you’ve been wanting to wear in public. It’s a lot of fun.”
Learn more about the Overture Council, and stay tuned for more information on the next Fashion in Concert event.
