Models of the Mecca debuted Class V in their “A Night in Vegas” showcase on Friday, March 18. The night was filled with enthusiasm from the styling, creative direction, hair, makeup and videography teams. Each model walked fiercely and with confidence, striving to leave it all on the runway.
The fashion show came together under the direction of six teams: hair, makeup, styling and design, photography and videography, graphic design and creative direction.
Every department put in a significant amount of work to make sure the production ran efficiently. Faith English, a senior biology and sports administration double major and president of Models of the Mecca, envisioned the organization to serve as a safe space to host Howard’s creative talents.
“The main purpose of this event is to display our talent. There is so much creative talent at Howard, and it is remarkably diverse. Models of the Mecca is a place where we can all come together, share creative space, and produce some dope content,” English said.
The show consisted of three sections: Gangster’s Paradise, One Night Only Sin City and A Night in Vegas Casino. In Class V, 23 models strutted looks down the runway that were styled adhering to the overall theme. The looks featured furs, sexy lingerie, pops of vibrant golds and greens worn confidently through each walk. The pieces shown were either handmade, thrifted or bought.
Each look was unique to the model, with most of them being Burlesque-themed with a hint of Black luxury.
Head of Design Kaitlyn Gilliam expressed that the process for production was long and intensive. Gilliam expressed how it took a lot of collaboration, creating mood boards and implementing the vision that the creative direction team provided.
“This process took about five months of prep time, but really three main months where we just locked in and hit the ground and ran with it,” Gilliam said.
Style and design are not the only factors that go into finishing the look of the model; hair is also included. As hairstylists, it is important for them to execute the vision while being creative and original. Ebere Chukwuyem, head of the hair department, explained why hair plays a key role in the fashion industry.
“Hair is used for so many things. In slavery times, cornrows were used for hiding grains of rice so that slaves could do it. It is very much an expression of who we are and our creativity. Black people are not one kind of people, and I feel like we are able to express that through our hair,” Chukwuyem said.
The models put in countless hours to prepare for their showcase. Each model knew to execute the vision and do it with style.
Copy edited by Jasper Smith
