This year’s Homecoming student fashion show aimed to gleam and shimmer with impressive outfits and dazzling visuals. The annual fashion event, the Met Gala, inspired the show, with Howard University naming its event the “Mec Gala.”
Maiz Lawson, a senior TV and film student minoring in photography from Seattle, Washington, served as one of the two creative directors for the fashion show.
“When the directors told us the theme of the Mec Gala I was excited,” Lawson said. “With its inspirations coming from the Met Gala, which is known for its annual themes, it allowed us a lot of freedom in our expression. We wanted to bring it back to HBCU culture and our place in the world.”
The pieces in the show were inspired by two themes, elevated punk and America’s problem. Elevated punk was inspired by the 2013 Met Gala: Chaos to Couture. America’s problem is defined as confusing sensibility, over-the-top accessories and exaggerated clothing.
The difference between the two themes is that the students wanted to add a collegiate spin to the themes. They wanted the fashion to relate to how college students would dress every day while also including exaggerated pieces.
“I love attending Howard fashion shows. My peers are so talented, creative and innovative,” Cory Utsey, senior journalism major, philosophy minor said. “The show was executed so well and I loved how the models were styled from head to toe — both the hairstyles and the brands showcased looked absolutely amazing!”
During the show, the audience was surprised to see a model’s hair styled in the shape of the Telfar logo. With Howard being known for Telfar Tuesday, its feature in the show seemed fitting.
Jada Jackson, a junior psychology major and business administration minor from Queens, New York, was responsible for designing and creating the Telfar hairstyle. She used her resources from local stores to create the brand’s logo and said she wanted to create a look that represented Howard.
“I love being creative and pushing out of the limits, when it comes to normal hairstyles. When we were given the theme of America’s Problem, we were told it was an ode to HBCUs culture; so basically everything important to Black culture is bigger and better,” Jackson said. “I wanted to incorporate things that we see on campus, which included the famous Telfar logo.”
Each designer was unique in their way. Some being elegant and some being politically driven. One brand, named Aura Collective, showcased its collection inspired by Roe v. Wade.
Faith Crawford, a sophomore fashion design major with a business administration minor from Pittsburgh, is the founder and designer of Aura Collection. Crawford felt it was important to highlight issues that pertained to current problems. The designer showcased multiple pieces stating “F*ck Roe,” which correlates to the exaggerated fashion sense.
This year’s fashion show took place at Cramton Auditorium on Thursday, October 20 and brought the culture of HBCU students and bold fashion to the forefront. The models and creators accomplished something wonderful and the event was a proper return to form.
Copy edited by Jadyn Barnett
