Hip hop never needed the runway. The runway needed hip hop.
Hip Hop Congress at UCLA transformed the Ackerman Grand Ballroom into a catwalk Feb. 19, tracing the evolution of hip hop and fashion from past to present. Featuring headliner Kalen.FrFr, the show centered around the theme “Metamorphosis,” as models donned diverse garments from sustainable fashion brands. The show was one way HHC aimed to promote inclusion and diversity, said Daniel Ikhimiukor, a fourth-year psychobiology student and one of the event coordinators.
“Hip hop is everything to fashion, and fashion is everything to hip hop,” Ikhimiukor said. “As an artist, your image is all you have … and that’s in the clothes – it reflects in the music.”
Ikhimiukor joined HHC during his second year at UCLA, he said. The biggest element of hip hop he wanted to emphasize in the show was its diversity, he added. Similar to how people resonate with the various subgenres of rap, the fashion show intentionally featured a variety of brands so there was something for everyone, Ikhimiukor said.
HHC decided to host their events during Black History Month as a way to pay homage to Black culture, Ikhimiukor said. He added that HHC wanted to give students a space on campus to enjoy themselves while embracing their identity.
The committee also promoted sustainability in their brand selection, he added. Labels such as nonobservant and Love x Bisi – both founded by UCLA alumni – underscore this ethos through practices like small-batch production and upcycling materials, according to HHC. Ikhimiukor said the show integrated this theme further through discussing its importance via the event’s emcees.
“Being a senior, this is my last one,” Ikhimiukor said. “I’m just super happy that I got to have such a pivotal role this year and really put my mark on the show. I feel like, personally, if you ask me, I feel like this is the best show I’ve ever been a part of. I might be biased, but I’ll definitely say this show was great.”
Emma Sofeso, a third-year communication student, said she joined HHC to be part of a community that celebrates culture and has a similar music taste to her. As one of the directors of modeling in the fashion show committee, Sofeso said the show took months of planning, from brand outreach to booking logistics. The highlight of the process, she added, was the family she found in her committee.
It goes beyond just clothing, Sofeso said, because many people arrive expecting a very specific type of look – streetwear. Black culture and clothing is not a monolith, she added. Sofeso said HHC highlights the diversity of styles that exist within the Black community that are often overlooked.
“You can’t put hip hop into a box,” Sofeso said. “When they told me this theme, I was super excited about it … hip hop is not a monolith. Hip hop doesn’t have one sound. Hip Hop can be anything.”
Watching the fashion show three years ago inspired Amadu Tadesse, a fourth-year African American studies and microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics student, to join HHC. As a STEM major, Tadesse said he initially saw HHC as an opportunity to branch out and uncover community.
Tadesse said the organization hosts events throughout the month to celebrate hip hop. From their Kickoff event Jan. 29 to their Explosion concert Mar. 5, HHC cultivates connections, he added.
“If you think about hip hop when it originally started in the late 70s and early 80s compared to what it is now, it’s a completely new thing,” Tadesse said. “It’s an international, worldwide thing. And that’s what we wanted to highlight this month … there are people all across the world who listen to it and are inspired by it.”
As the HHC prepares for Explosion, its annual concert and grand finale for Hip Hop Appreciation month, Ikhimiukor said HHC is just warming up the crowd. With graduation approaching, Ikhimiukor added he is confident even greater things are ahead.
“At every event we throw, students are super happy,” Ikhimiukor said. “Students are dancing, having a good time … just seeing that smile on everybody’s faces, just seeing everybody happy at our events is what makes me happy. I’m just happy that we’re able to execute the event. HHC does a lot for the campus.”