Who will walk the runway during New York Fashion Week and win $20,000? You decide.
M. Dante
Must be in the top 20 in their group to advance to the next round.
Voting for this round ends on July 30, 2026 at 9:00 PM EDT
About M. Dante
Contributing to projects combining her background in the creative arts, the health arts and sciences, volunteer service, and her familiarity of urban dynamics, Melanie enjoys an active, cosmopolitan lifestyle in Greater Philadelphia /Valley Forge.
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What makes you the Next Runway Star?
I live at the intersectionality of grab and go fitness fashion, uniform couture in my current vocation of care, custody and control, and a untapped desire inspired by Chanel, Cardin, Diane von Furstenberg, Rei Kawakubo, Christian Dior's Maria Grazia Chiuri and more! A child of the 1970s I was raised to be able to go from unisex play, to easy, comfortable work and conservatism, all while maintaining my feminine mystique regardless of whether in flip flops, flats, sneakers, stilettos, fashion style or work boots. Fashion is an easily accessible element that can bond women beyond the jokes about Spanx undergarments. I also feel as though I have been living in “selfie culture” for so long now, I would love the opportunity to step up and out!
What would this once in a lifetime experience mean to you and why?
Women over fifty are often left to become invisible. Or a parody of better years offering quotes mixed with jokes on getting older. I don’t believe that we expire so readily. We carry experience, resilience, wisdom, and a beauty that comes from living a full life. Walking that runway would be a reminder—to myself and to others—that reinvention is always possible. Every chapter has value. That doesn’t disappear with age. It enhances. We should be able to inspire. I hope to be inspiring!
What are you most proud of about yourself or what have you overcome and why?
What I’m proudest of isn’t any single title or achievement. It’s that I never allowed one season of my life to define the next. I’ve continued to learn, grow, and step into unfamiliar places with curiosity and enthusiasm. I am federally defined as a “survivor”. On my own since sixteen, most people who know me know that as a transient, houseless youth I worked myself off the streets, finally putting myself through college in my thirties. Having been homeless when younger means there are many things that I didn’t get to do or achieve, that I still strive and dream to be able to do now. I am most proud of my ability to begin anew.
What would you do with the $20,000 cash prize?
If I had $20,000? I would use it as a foundation for my next chapter. I would invest in myself—whether gaining new skills, exploring a business idea, or creating space to think and plan without immediate financial pressure. I would also set aside a portion as a safety net, giving me the freedom to take thoughtful risks instead of reactive ones. More than anything, I would use that as a tool to build something meaningful, even if I’m starting on my own. Also I would donate to Cambodian Ashram Preservation Khmer SakYant. I was blessed to be able to travel to Cambodia for the first time in December 2023. I visited Grace Wellness and Angkor Watt, participating in a charity race to help victims of land mines and children. I was also able to visit the preservation where these young men are learning their ancient language from tribal elders. I feel that is one of the most important things that can be passed down, especially when a nation is still rebuilding after genocide.
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