At Highmark Stadium, the spotlight shifted from football to women-owned businesses Thursday night as Western New Yorkers gathered for an evening of fashion, conversation and community support.

The WNY Women’s Foundation brought its annual What She’s Made Of event to the stadium, pairing the excitement of a familiar football setting with a celebration of local women’s work.

For Buffalo State fashion design major Kaylee Starkweather, the night offered a chance to share her bridal and formal wear designs while meeting other women entrepreneurs.

She welcomed the opportunity to see women-owned businesses recognized, particularly in an industry where emerging designers can struggle to get noticed.

That visibility matters when a designer is trying to turn creative work into lasting opportunity.

Starkweather’s experience gave the evening a personal dimension: Behind every garment on display is someone hoping her work will be seen, supported and remembered.

The program included a runway show presented in partnership with the Buffalo Bills Women’s Association, bringing women’s fashion shows into a space better known for game-day crowds.

Buffalo fashion designer Mara Hoffman joined the event, adding a hometown connection to an evening focused on talent across Western New York.

For one night, the stadium served a different kind of team effort, bringing designers, business owners and supporters together around a shared goal.

Foundation CEO Sheri Scavone described the gathering as a place for women and male allies to connect, learn and recognize the talent already present in the region.

The event also raised funds for the foundation’s work supporting women throughout Western New York.

Suzanne D’Amico, the foundation’s development director, said the Highmark Stadium setting helped make this year’s gathering a distinctive experience for attendees.

That backdrop may have drawn attention, but the stronger story belonged to the women using the night to build connections.

In Buffalo, supporting women-owned businesses is about more than applauding a runway look; it means making room for women’s ideas and ambitions to grow.