Your gown deserves to attend another party!

VivaSwap is a fashionable fundraiser that allows women to donate their gently-worn designer gowns and dresses to be resold to benefit charity.

Instead of buying an expensive gown or cocktail dress, VivaSwap attendees can pick up beautiful items that deserve to be worn again.  Buyers are encouraged to donate the money they saved to their favorite charity.

Looking great and doing good?  What’s not to love?

HOW IT WORKS

  • Gowns and dresses are collected the weeks and months prior to the event
  • A venue is selected which should include enough space for a large communal dressing room
  • A Preview Shopping Party occurs the eve before the shopping day for VIP ticketholders and dress donors
  • The next day anyone can shop for a nominally-priced ticket
  • Items that do not sell
    • Can be given away to an applicable charity such as Princess Project
    • Can be archived for the next event

REVENUE

Ticket sales:

  • Regular priced ticket: $20
  • VIP Preview ticket: $100
  • If someone donates a gown worth more than $1,000 they receive 2 tickets to the VIP Preview

Sale of dresses:

  • Recommend no more than 10% of original purchase price
  • Dependent on condition but less than 10% if it has been worn

Additional revenue opportunities:

  • Raffle:
    • A local or national celebrity may donate a special dress
    • A local boutique or department store may give a shopping spree
    • A salon could provide a make-over for the winner’s next big event
    • Boutique selling jewelry and/or accessories
      • Easy to accessories on the spot with a percentage being donated
    • Designer donations
      • Fashion designers may wish to donate a selection of their clothes to build awareness

DETAILS

Audience: Women

Volunteers: Minimal

  • Inventory outreach and collection: 3 – 4
  • VIP Event planning: 1 – 2
  • Promotion: 1
  • On-site volunteers: dependent on # of expected attendees
    • Security: 2
    • Check-out: 3
    • Restocking: 2
    • Clean-up: 4

Estimated Profit: $5,000+

  • Clothing sales: 50 items sold at $100 = $5,000
  • Ticket sales: 100 attendees at $20/each = $2,000
  • Accessories sales: 50 items sold at $50 x 20% donation = $250

Major Costs: Venue, catering, display merchandising

Level of effort: Moderate

Planning Cycle: 3 – 6 months

Resources:

  • Racks & hangers: www.displaywarehouse.com

HOW VIVANISTA CAN HELP

Download for Free

  • Budget template
  • Committee formation tips
  • Timeline
  • Solicitation letter to prospective donors
  • Invitation letter to boutiques to sell accessories
  • Event invitation
  • Final Report

Premium Program: Vivanista provides event management for a fee

  • Pre-event
    • Creative direction
    • Credit card processing set-up
    • Database design for inventory control
    • Ordering of merchandising components i.e. racks, etc.
    • Marketing including graphic design, and social media marketing
    • Interface with volunteer committee
    • On-site event
      • Oversee event volunteers
      • Manage logistics
      • Coordinate disposition of inventory at the end of the event
    • Post-event
      • Final Report
      • Revenue reconciliation
    • Cost: Depends on scope of work and timeframe.  Minimum of $5,000 + expenses.

SUMMARY

VivaSwap is a low-overhead fundraiser that has potential to become an annual event that is fun and effective.