The Heart of the matter: Highlights & flubs at the Red Dress Collection fashion show

In what has become an annual tradition at New York Fashion Week, celebrities became runway models for one night — all for a good cause. For the 10th year, the Red Dress Collection featured stars in specially-created designer gowns to raise awareness of heart disease, the No. 1 killer of women.

In 2002, when the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) introduced the first Red Dress Collection at fashion week, only about a third of women were aware that heart disease was such a problem. Now, due to this and other events, awarneess has nearly doubled, heath officials note.

While the message is serious, the event is all fun, as these models proved.

Isn't it unfair that Christie Brinkley looks this good at age 58? Her birthday was a week ago.

Christie Brinkley, in a Pamella Roland gown, proved she isn't perfect when she stumbled on the runway while "Uptown Girl," the song by her ex, Billy Joel, played. But the momentary gaffe was endearing.

Participating in the show was personal for Aisha Tyler, who wore a Badgley Mischka gown. Her father suffered two heart attacks. He survived the first one but the second heart attack killed him.

Debbie Phelps, who wore a gown by Adrianna Papell, stopped on the runway and gave her son, Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, a kiss.

LaLa Anthony wore a gown by Rachel Roy.

Rebecca Romijn in Marchesa

Chaka Khan wore a red leopard print gown by Chris March.

Chaka Khan: love those earrings!

Univision host Giselle Blondet in Oscar de la Renta.

Jenna Elfman in Alberta Ferretti

Jenna Elfman sported a chic short haircut.

Rose McGowan showed off her legs in Donna Karan. The slit in the dress was so high that when she walked she revealed (thankfully) she was wearing red panties.

The runway was a sea of red.

Patti Stanger vamped it up on the runway in Marc Bouwer.

Minka Kelly glittered in a Diane von Furstenberg gown. On participating in the show, she told People magazine, “If I get one girl to go to the gym one day more often than she does … then I’ve done a good job."

Gloria Estefan, in a gown by Narciso Rodriguez, recalled that when she was 12 she watched her grandfather die of a massive heart. He had had five earlier heart attacks.

Gloria Estefan's hairstyle was hair-raising.

Jennifer Nettles in a gown by red carpet favorite David Meister.

Jennifer Nettles

Jeannette Torres-Alvarez in a Carlos Miele gown.

Elisabeth Rohm in a Nicole Miller gown.