Loyola Greyhound

Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: Arts & Society

Media Credit: Photo Courtesy of Richard Marx The BSA Fashion Show was held last friday in Reitz Arena.

Statement shoes, bold colors, and attitude, were the headlining features of "Stitch!", Loyola College's 18th Annual Black Student Association Fashion Show. Co-directors and students, Mistee-Rae Peters and Aliyah Codrington, collaborated to create a show that entertained but never lost its main focus; fashion.

"We emphasized the clothing, set and overall show. This year, it isn't a talent show. It's a fashion show." commented Peters. It certainly was.

Unlike previous shows, none of the looks were designed by the Loyola Fashion Club. Instead, local boutiques and vendors donated most of the clothes in exchange for publicity. Department stores, TJ Maxx and New York & Company also contributed. In addition to the changes, the em-cees and halftime show from the previous year were nixed. Instead, an anonymous announcer guided the audience through the show with a strong British accent.

Codrington explained the decision to call the show "Stitch!" "The same way a stitch holds fabric together, is the way we united individual scenes to create the show." Each of the six scenes, directed by student leaders, had a unique theme and told a different fashion story.

As the lights dimmed, the unseen announcer read a poem entitled "Stitch!" "Cross stitch/flat stitch/Where will it end?/As long as there's fashion,/The stitch sets the trend."

"Ying-Yang", the opening scene directed by Jennifer McDaniel, took its audience for a trip across the Atlantic by capturing the preppy essence of the U.K. Female models donned curls, colored headbands, and pouty lips. Their clothes, which included colored jeans, belted skirts, and bright dresses with feminine cuts, highlighted spring trends. Menswear included military cut jackets, knit sweaters, and the essential Burberry print scarf. As the scene switched to nightwear, the infectious beats of M.I.A. led neon-clad models dancing down the runway.

Ardené Fox and BSA president Allegra Scott, scene leaders of "Flash" said their inspiration came from their desire to "capture fashion through photography." Models paraded out with body size, rectangular frames. They paused mid-runway and posed dramatically, creating a fashion silhouette. Their outfits were just as powerful as their poses. "Flash" featured a range of clothing from lovely dresses, ranging from sundresses to cocktail, to tough leather jackets. As the scene concluded, the models reentered the runway, camera in hand, and turned their lenses on the audience.

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools