GLAM4GOOD founder Mary Alice Stephenson and her team have helped millions of people over the years with the belief that fashion can be more than meets the eyes. They’ve enlisted brands over the years to use fashion and beauty to serve those in need. How did she come up with the idea to use her impressive connections to use glam for good?
How did the idea for GLAM4GOOD come about?
GLAM4GOOD was born from my belief that fashion holds the power to heal, not just inspire trends. After decades in the fashion and beauty industry, I saw how something as simple as a new outfit can restore dignity, reignite confidence, and spark hope. I wanted to harness the creativity, beauty, and resources of this industry and direct them toward people and communities who need them most, especially survivors of trauma and individuals facing hardships.
Stephenson at a GLAM4GOOD event
What has the mission been?
Our mission is to turn fashion and beauty into a lifeline. By repurposing and redistributing unused clothing, shoes, personal-care products, and essentials, we’re not only keeping millions of items out of landfills but also placing them directly into the hands of those experiencing adversity. In doing so, we meet urgent needs, honor human dignity, and show that sustainability is about more than protecting the planet; it’s about building systems of dignity, compassion, and equity that honor people and uplift the human spirit.
Talk to us about the work GLAM4GOOD has done over the years.
GLAM4GOOD has empowered recipients nationwide by harnessing fashion and beauty to serve those in need. We’ve repurposed more than $75 million in unused clothing, personal-care products, and essentials—keeping them out of landfills and redistributing them across 33 states. Through free pop-up shops in shelters, hospitals, schools, and disaster zones, we’ve supported women rebuilding their lives, families in crisis, and patients in need of care and dignity. At its core, GLAM4GOOD is about more than style; it’s about restoring dignity, building confidence, and delivering hope.
Mary Alice Stephenson
What fashion and beauty brands, as well as the organizations and institutions, have partnered with GLAM4GOOD?
GLAM4GOOD has been fortunate to partner with some of the most iconic names in fashion and beauty, along with organizations that believe in the power of style to transform lives. Brands like Calvin Klein, H&M, Net-a-Porter, Tommy Hilfiger, Reformation, American Eagle, Zadig & Voltaire, Estée Lauder, Clinique, L’Oréal, Ulta Beauty, Fenty, Olaplex, and Dior Beauty have donated clothing, accessories, and personal-care essentials to support our work. We’ve also collaborated with institutions such as the United Nations, the Met, MIT, Montefiore Medical Center, and New York’s Administration for Children’s Services, as well as countless schools, hospitals, shelters, and community groups nationwide. Partnerships with icons like Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey have further amplified our mission. These collaborations have kept countless items out of landfills and placed them into the hands of people rebuilding their lives.
You’ve had an incredible career in fashion. What is your professional background?
My career has been fueled by a passion for style and its power to inspire and transform. I began in editorial with Vogueand Allure, later serving as fashion director at Marie Claire and Harper’s Bazaar, where I collaborated with iconic photographers, designers, models, and celebrities to shape the global conversation on style and beauty. I also brought fashion to a wider audience as a TV commentator and red-carpet correspondent on Good Morning America, CNN, E! News, and the Today show. Yet my heart was always set on merging fashion with humanitarian work, which led me to launch GLAM4GOOD—to deliver dignity and empowerment to communities in need while partnering with global brands to drive meaningful change.
What have been some of the most memorable milestones for GLAM4GOOD since you founded it?
The milestones I hold dearest aren’t the big stages, but the personal moments—a young person beaming with confidence because they finally have what they need, a mother in tears because she can provide essentials for her children, or a survivor who tells us GLAM4GOOD made them feel seen and celebrated. At the same time, launching our first large-scale free pop-up shop and later redistributing millions in unused fashion, beauty, and personal-care products across 33 states showed how excess can be transformed into empowerment and sustainability. Partnering with Michelle Obama further amplified our mission, but at the heart of every milestone—big or small—remains the same purpose: restoring dignity, building confidence, and delivering hope.
How can people who want to help get involved?
You can get involved with GLAM4GOOD by donating, partnering with us to repurpose unused merchandise, volunteering at our free pop-up shops, and spreading the word through your social platforms. Follow us on Instagram @glam4good; this helps spread our mission! Every act of support helps us deliver dignity, confidence, and hope while advancing sustainability and serving communities in need.
All images: Courtesy of Mary Alice Stephenson
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