Rob Malloy, known as “Your Favorite Silverfox,” will serve as celebrity host of St. Croix’s Oct. 2 Purple Carpet Bash, supporting domestic violence awareness, veterans’ wellness and men’s mental health.
H.O.P.E. Incorporated and the Sgt. Bruce T. Gordon Purple Heart Recipient Community Fund Advisory Board will host the Purple Carpet Bash: Fashion with Purpose on Oct. 2 in Christiansted, bringing together survivors, veterans, advocates and community organizations for programming focused on domestic violence, trauma recovery, men’s mental health and veterans’ wellness.
The event, scheduled for Starlight Promotions, will feature celebrity guest Rob Malloy, known as “Your Favorite Silverfox,” and will culminate with the Fashion Is Therapy Experience, a program developed by Keeping Veterans Fit Inc. Organizers describe the gathering as a first-of-its-kind community experience being held during Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
The Purple Carpet Bash was conceived by Stormy Gordon, widow of the late Sgt. Bruce T. Gordon, a Purple Heart recipient whose military service and community leadership are being commemorated through the event.
Through the Sgt. Bruce T. Gordon Purple Heart Recipient Community Fund, Gordon developed the concept as a way to preserve her husband’s legacy while supporting veterans, survivors and families in the Virgin Islands.
The initiative later developed into a partnership between the fund’s advisory board and H.O.P.E. Incorporated through Gordon’s longstanding friendship and community work with Dr. Khnuma Simmonds, H.O.P.E.’s executive director and founder of Girlfriendism International.
Keeping Veterans Fit Inc. will participate as a special invited guest and assist with the Fashion Is Therapy programming.
Workshops, Wellness and Community Resources
Programming during the Purple Carpet Bash is expected to include educational workshops, wellness experiences, expert panel discussions, community resource sharing and networking.
Organizers also plan conversations addressing military service, mental health, domestic violence, trauma recovery and community resilience, along with live entertainment, the Purple Carpet experience and an evening program honoring resilience, leadership and service.
The event is intended to increase awareness during Domestic Violence Awareness Month of domestic violence, military trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder while emphasizing survivor-centered and culturally responsive approaches to healing.
Fashion Is Therapy to Close the Event
The Fashion Is Therapy Experience will serve as the event’s grand finale.
The program, curated for the event by Malloy, is part of the Fashion Is Therapy curriculum developed by Keeping Veterans Fit. Organizers say the program has worked with hundreds of veterans across the United States using fashion and related programming to help participants reconnect with confidence, identity and purpose.
Its appearance at the Purple Carpet Bash will mark the program’s first presentation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, alongside H.O.P.E. Incorporated’s work with survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Veterans and survivors are expected to participate in the runway presentation, with organizers framing the experience around resilience and recovery rather than traditional modeling standards.
Proceeds to Remain in the Virgin Islands
Organizers say proceeds from the event will remain in the Virgin Islands.
Funds directed to H.O.P.E. Incorporated will support culturally specific, healing-informed recovery services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence, as well as professional development and specialized training for local advocates working with individuals and families affected by violence.
Additional proceeds will benefit the Sgt. Bruce T. Gordon Purple Heart Recipient Community Fund, supporting crisis programs and other initiatives connected to Gordon’s legacy of service.
The organizations also envision expanding healing-centered programming beyond St. Croix to St. Thomas, St. John, Puerto Rico and neighboring Caribbean communities, while developing opportunities for veterans, survivors, advocates and future community leaders.
Gordon: Event is Intended as a 'Living Legacy'
Stormy Gordon said the event grew from her desire to create something that would continue her husband’s work beyond a traditional memorial.
“When I began thinking about ways to honor Bruce's legacy, I knew I wanted it to be more than a memorial. I wanted it to become a living legacy that continues serving others. Bruce dedicated his life to protecting people, and through this event, his spirit of service lives on by supporting veterans, survivors, and families throughout our community. I'm incredibly grateful to H.O.P.E. Incorporated and everyone who has joined this vision.”
Simmonds connected the event’s use of fashion and creative expression to her own experience as a survivor.
“As a survivor, I know healing doesn't end when the crisis is over - it begins with rediscovering who you are. For me, culture, dance, fashion, and creative expression helped me reconnect with my identity, my ancestry, and my joy. That journey transformed surviving into thriving, and it continues to shape the work we do at H.O.P.E., where we complement trauma-informed services with healing-informed, culturally responsive programs that help survivors rebuild their lives in community. That's why this special feature of Fashion Is Therapy is so meaningful. It beautifully affirms the power of creativity, confidence, and connection in the healing journey. I'm especially grateful to Stormy for inviting H.O.P.E. to help bring her vision to life while honoring Sgt. Bruce T. Gordon's remarkable legacy of service. It's also an honor to welcome The Celebrity Host Rob Malloy - Your Favorite Silverfox, whose voice reminds us that preventing violence and promoting healing requires the voices of men alongside women. Together, we're showing what's possible when friendship becomes partnership, and when a community chooses to heal together.”
Model Casting Call Set for Aug. 15
Ahead of the October event, the Sgt. Bruce T. Gordon Purple Heart Recipient Community Fund Advisory Board is inviting residents to participate in a Purple Carpet model casting call.
Organizers are seeking women and men of all ages and backgrounds, including veterans, survivors, advocates, first responders and community leaders interested in using fashion to promote healthy relationships, domestic violence awareness, men’s mental health, veterans’ wellness and community support.
Previous modeling experience is not required.
The casting call is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 15 at 11:30 a.m. The written release says the location will be provided after confirmation, and participants are asked to RSVP through the Purple Carpet Bash model casting call page on Girlfriendism.com.
Event Details
Purple Carpet Bash: Fashion with Purpose is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, at Starlight Promotions in Christiansted, St. Croix. Tickets, sponsorship opportunities, vendor opportunities and donations are available.
Additional information is available through H.O.P.E. Incorporated at [email protected] or hopeusvi.org.
H.O.P.E., which stands for Helping Ordinary People Everyday, is a Virgin Islands nonprofit providing culturally specific, healing-informed services to survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence and other interpersonal violence through advocacy, wellness, education, creative expression and community partnerships.
The Sgt. Bruce T. Gordon Purple Heart Recipient Community Fund Advisory Board was created by Gordon’s widow to preserve his legacy of courage, leadership and service. It supports veterans, survivors, families and communities through education, philanthropy and collaborative community engagement.
Keeping Veterans Fit Inc. focuses on veterans’ physical, emotional and social well-being through wellness initiatives, leadership development and its five-pillar “Stronger Than Trauma” wraparound program. Fashion Is Therapy is one component of that framework, combining fashion, confidence-building, storytelling and community engagement.
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