Women United Around the World (WUAW) is thrilled to announce that the 2025 International Women’s Day Fashion Show & Fundraiser Gala will be held on Saturday, March 8, 2025, at the Italian Heritage Center in Portland!

This must-attend event celebrates the vibrant ethnic and cultural diversity of Maine’s women, recognizing their invaluable contributions to local, national, and international economies through business, public service, fashion, and the arts. The evening will feature a delightful combination of live music, drinks, dinner, entertainment, notable guests, and a runway show highlighting women in international traditional wear along with the work of the current cohort of Maine Stitching Academy students after 5 months of courses.

As the major fundraising event for WUAW—the International Women’s Day Fashion Show will directly support our core program, the Maine Stitching Academy (MSA). The MSA is a one-of-a-a-kind, nine-month training program that provides low-income and immigrant women with college-level technical education in technical sewing. Upon completion, our graduates, who come in with varying degrees of experience, will be equipped to pursue roles in manufacturing, tailor or stitch professionally, launch fashion lines, or start small businesses in the fashion industry.

During the Women’s Day celebration, we take advantage of this occasion to honor exceptional women who are pioneering change in our community. We are thrilled to announce WUAW's 2025 Award Recipents:

Sue Roche, Executive Director, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project
Grace Valenzuela, Executive Director of Communications and Community Partnerships at Portland Public Schools
Marcia Minter, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Indigo Arts Alliance
Jennifer McAdoo, Executive Director, Furniture and Friends
The global International Women's Day (IWD) 2025 campaign theme is 'Accelerate Action' is part of a global movement calling for increased momentum and urgency toward achieving gender parity worldwide.

This event is 18+ and ID's will be checked at the door. A "black tie" dress code is encouraged but not enforced. Please dress to impress!

General Admission tickets are on sale now!

#IWD2025 #AccelerateAction