Football, Fashion & Philanthropy, Oh My! A Look Back at a ‘Super’ Week in Arizona

On Friday, February 10, Macerich (the owner, operator and developer of Scottsdale Fashion Square) and the Off The Field NFL Wives Association partnered to put on a fashion show, and it was all for a good cause—benefiting Caris Sports Foundation, a 501c3 dedicated to helping kids and their families meet the costs associated with recreational & competitive sports.

Photo by Carrie Evans

“What an exciting honor to welcome the NFL Wives to the runway stage, showcasing a wide array of Scottsdale Fashion Square retailers, and benefitting Caris Sports Foundation,” Melanie Sutton, senior marketing manager for Scottsdale Fashion Square, says. “This is sure to be the most fashionable event of the football season.”

The fashion show began with NFL players and their wives walking the red carpet, including notable Pro Football Hall of Fame players, Tim Brown, Steve Young and James Lofton, as well as current NFL football players, including Hakeem Adeniji, Kwamie Lassiter II and Trent Williams.

The wives and daughters of NFL players donned fashion looks from Scottsdale Fashion Square stores, rocking brands like Madewell, Michael Kors and Zara. Each took a turn walking the runway on their own before being joined by their NFL player counterpart for a second fashion walk.

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“This long standing partnership with Macerich and Scottsdale Fashion Square allows us to celebrate the pinnacle of the football season with a fashionable and fun event that ultimately supports the mission of Off The Field and that is to support the community through cause initiatives,” Ericka Lassiter, Off The Field immediate past president and co-chair of the charity fashion show event, says. “We have hosted this event for 22 years, and it’s our opportunity to give back to causes that enhance the quality of life for families.”

The Off the Field NFL Wives Association Fashion Show wasn’t the only fashion show put on during the ‘super’ week—The W Scottsdale and Phoenix Fashion Week partnered to put on ‘Suits & Sneakers,’ a collaboration with custom menswear designer, Elevee Lifestyle, on Wednesday February 8. Beginning with a red carpet experience and ending with an exclusive performance by award-winning musical artist, Rick Ross, the fashion show featured celebrity athletes in tailored suits and high-fashion sneakers.

“We are known for discovering and launching the next “it” fashion designers and top models. This season, during our ‘Suits & Sneakers’ fashion event and concert, we will continue to embrace our mission to push Arizona fashion forward, this time with a global audience,” Brian Hill, executive director of Phoenix Fashion Week, says.

The Suits & Sneakers event was co-hosted by FOX Sports personality Jay Glazer and Arizona Cardinals players Hollywood Brown, Byron Murphy and Justin Pugh. All four modeled custom-made suits by Elevee Lifestyle for the runway, as well as Minnesota Vikings Patrick Peterson and Phoenix Mercury Sophie Cunningham. This event was created in partnership with Jay Glazer, with a portion of proceeds from the event going to “MVP” Merging Vets + Players, a non-profit created by Glazer to help veterans returning from war readjust and lead productive lives at home. 

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Another event that embraced giving back was the 18th Annual Legends for Charity Dinner, which happened on Thursday, February 9, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Held at the Hyatt Regency in Downtown Phoenix, the event was created by Cheryl DeLeonardis of Ocean 2 Ocean Productions, bringing together sports broadcasters and athletes to honor their peers while supporting the lifesaving mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital: Finding cures. Saving children.

The event has raised more than $10 million for the kids of St. Jude since 2006, with $2 million of that coming from last year’s event alone! This year’s recipient of the coveted Pat Summerall Award, awarded at the dinner, was Howie Long, Pro Football Hall of Famer and Studio Analyst on FOX NFL Sunday, who also owns a home here in Scottsdale.