Showtime! The Creative Force behind the Fashion Show: Mary Alice Ranta
Tara A. Spears
If the famous Bob Fossey is channeled into a petite, creative, talented woman, Mary Alice Ranta is it. As the Artistic Director/choreographer for the annual Women to Women Fashion Show, Mary Alice Ranta, is always striving to make each event memorable and more fun than the last one. With her theatrical flair and astute fashion sense, you can always count on this year’s Fashion Show to impress. Not only does she select the outfits and design the model routines but Mary Alice creates the agenda for the runway show. Since she is working entirely as a volunteer, with volunteers, planning is everything because there is little opportunity for rehearsals. It takes dedication, a huge amount of time, patience, flexibility and lots of creativity to pull each element into an entertaining show.
Embarking on the journey to organize a fashion show is an exhilarating endeavor that requires meticulous planning. To ensure a spectacular event that leaves a lasting impression, Mary Alice begins with a clear and well-defined vision. “I take the theme, decide on the vibe I want to achieve, and meet with local designers to search their merchandise for what supports the vision. Next, I find models to match the clothes. Lastly, I decide the model order and coordinate music.”
A long-time seasonal resident, Mary Alice and her husband, Ken Snyder, have been part of the La Penita community since 2001. After a successful career in business, Mary Alice traded her professional power suits for bold colored beachwear. In retirement she is able to indulge her artistic side by painting, learning Spanish, participating in book clubs and volunteering. Mary Alice credits her devotion to practicing yoga for keeping her youthful figure in maturity. Besides being social active- you’ll see her dancing to live entertainment around town- this retirement poster girl generously supports many local causes such as Rotary, and Jaltemba Bay Animal Sterilizations (JBAS) besides being a vital member of the Woman to Woman executive committee. Best of all, Mary Alice is a great friend!
A true fashionista, Mary Alice developed her sense of style from an early age. “As a teen I was in a 4H sewing group, participating in competitions. I made many of my own clothes until I was in college,” explained Mary. “Living in the gray, rainy Pacific Northwest, I was always interested in color for my clothing and surroundings.” In addition, her aunt’s clothing store predisposed her awareness of trendy clothing. “My mother was always very stylish and fashionable which influenced my selection of clothes.”
While holding the Fashion Show outdoors in a cement plaza might be intimidating to many, Mary Alice coordinates with the Chair of Decorations, Nancy Hess, to create atmosphere for the background of the models. This is a tough venue for a gala event but it was chosen for the stage and having enough room for guests, and mega silent auction. Under the inspiration of Mary Alice and Nancy, this simple space is transformed into a thematic backdrop for the stunning selection of designer clothes.
Another aspect of the Fashion Show that Mary Alice excels in is designing the model itinerary. Having started as a model for the first event in 2002, Mary Alice has first-hand experience with walking during the show. With her intelligent creativity, it was a perfect fit for her to take over the role of artistic director and model coordinator.
Mary Alice believes “that crafting a compelling runway choreography is essential for showcasing the garments effectively.” Although she would love to have more model rehearsals to iron out any problems and ensure that models exude confidence, it’s just not feasible. In spite of less than ideal circumstances and constant glitches, Mary Alice’s choreography and well-spaced model walk contributes to the seamless flow of the show. When asked what is the biggest challenge to directing the Fashion Show each year, Mary Alice replied, arranging with local designers to commit clothing for a specific date. Since the majority of the outfits are original, custom made, sometimes there is difficulty having the clothing complete in time for the show. Several former designers could not handle the deadline.
“A few years ago, three of the six designers dropped out just four days before the show. That Saturday I went into every retailer in LaPenita and talked three of them into participating; I begged one of our previous designers to participate again, after her retirement. Next, I rounded up the models for selections and fittings on that Sunday and Monday morning. It came off without a hitch and no one was the wiser.” In other years, the designer sold the reserved clothing before the show so there was a stressful scramble to come up with theme related garments the day before the event. In an effort to ensure that the clothing is ready the day before the show, Mary Alice has added several local boutiques that she can request ready to wear items in advance. It is Mary Alice’s belief in the W2W cause-women’s education- that motivates her to surmount each setback.
When Mary Alice is planning the Fashion Show, “I think of which music will have the biggest impact and what model movement will emphasize an overall feeling of what I want out of the program. Each year I get fresh ideas from the current chosen theme. Throughout the year, to help gather fashion ideas, I read about the big shows in the Style section of the New York Times. Seeing and touching the new inventory from the retailers helps flesh out my vision.”
When asked for a hint of what to expect for the 2026 show, Mary Alice replied, “It will be very colorful with a background of music familiar to people who were in their teens and 20’s during the late 60’s and early 70’s…the flower power years. Guests can look forward to one new local retailer and the favorite regulars.”
Many thanks, Mary Alice, for more than 23 years of directing the Fashion Show. Your flair for selecting clothes, choreographing the models and your ability to handle unexpected changes and adapt to new situations has made each Fashion Show unique and a success. You rock, MA!
