It was an evening of firsts, as the Black Africana Student Union held its first-ever fashion show in the Applied Technology Center at Grand Rapids Community College.
In front of a packed crowd, GRCC students strutted their stuff in select styles from crochet sets, and purses, to silky long dresses with eye-popping designs and colorways that caught the attention of the audience immediately.
Chiquital Clay, who has been the advisor of BASU for 10 years, marveled at the amount of effort the student leaders put into bringing the event to life. “It was superb, I was so surprised, so excited,” Clay said. “To see the models, from where they were when they first started, being nervous, to seeing them be like professionals on the stage, it was a blessing to see that.”
The show consisted of models of different races and ethnic backgrounds, making this an opportunity to be in a space where they can express their creativity confidently. Each model was met with loud applause, cheers, and emphatic support from the crowd.
All the models wore pieces created by local Grand Rapids designers. Designer Gabrielle Fisher, owner of GFunk Threads, shared her perspective of the event, and collaborating with the GRCC models. “I think it was really cool to just see the collaborative work between everybody,” Fisher said. “I’ve been in many fashion shows before, and none of them were this organized. It’s nice to see somebody else have an organized fashion show.”
Fisher continued, “It makes it a lot easier for us as designers, but also for the models as well, and BASU really had everything we needed. They had room for this, they had food and drinks, and this was the first fashion show I was able to sit back and watch, so that was nice. We’re always running around and we always have to keep backstage stuff up and running, making sure the models are okay, all of that. It was really nice to not have to worry about that.”
Local designer Ajiana Wilson, owner of Nitrice, agreed and reflected on all the hard work the models put into executing the show. “You can tell the models have been working really hard on this for a while, and their poses were absolutely killer,” Wilson said. “Every time they came out the crowd went wild. They all looked so good in their outfits, and it helps when they actually love the things they’re wearing. It’s one of the best things as a designer, to see that your model also loves the outfit, because we always want them to feel confident and beautiful.”
This was an experience that GRCC student and model, Barry Coffman, will never forget, especially since this was his modeling debut. “This was my first modeling experience ever so I thought it went smoothly, and I loved the hype from the audience, the audience was so amazing,” he said.
For Coffman, this fashion show was more than just trying something new, it was an opportunity to be a part of a foundation that he hopes will become a staple at GRCC for years to come. “I think it brings attention, which is great, and the reason why I loved this is because it just builds the community up,” Coffman said. “It gets you interacting with so many students, and helps you make great and lasting connections.”
For designers, it can be nerve-wrecking watching a first-time model showcase your designs in front of an audience, but designer Mckenna Wohlf, owner of Wohlf, was impressed with the poise of the first-time models. “It was really great seeing all the models, because for some of them it was their first time walking and they came with confidence,” Wolf said. “I felt like my design process was a bit more chaotic since I was switching from the winter months over to the warmer season, but I pulled out some older designs and made it work.”
To pull off an event of this magnitude, it took a lot of work from the leaders at BASU. From casting calls, booking the venue, contacting local designers and make-up artists, it was an arduous process to say the least. But for the Vice President of BASU, Darean ‘Chef’ Freeman, it was all worth it to bring people together.
“I think it’s more of not just specifically the lane of fashion, but anything involving creativity that brings people together,” Freeman said. “Most of these people tonight who are models, photographers, or make-up artists, they all also do other things. So I think that creative energy brings other creative people together, and from there they just love to see other people’s art.”
Kiah Anderson, student at Kendall College of Art and Design, who partnered with BASU as a make-up artist for the show, agreed with that notion.
“It brings people together in the community because there aren’t a lot of spaces for young adults to do things like this,” Anderson said. “It helps build connections and that’s what college is all about.”
In addition to creating spaces for creativity and connection, uplifting how students see themselves was also a pivotal component to the festivities. Something model and Freshman GRCC student Natalie Rojas, resonated with after walking the runway.
“It made me feel beautiful, confident, and I believe this is something that should always be a part of BASU,” Rojas said. “Everything was amazing, the people were amazing, the designers were amazing, it was such an amazing opportunity that I’m so grateful that I was able to be a part of.”
For many of the models, this was their first exposure to walking the runway. However, for Ariel Wood, Media Representative for BASU, this wasn’t her first rodeo. Leaning on her past experiences within the modeling industry helped guide student models, which for her was one of many favorite moments of the evening.
“I’m a regular model in the state of Michigan, I’ve done Michigan Fashion Week, and things in Chicago, and Detroit,” Wood said. “My experiences brought the idea to bring this event to GRCC, and I knew it was going to be a unique opportunity for the students involved and the audience members.”
The fashion show didn’t just provide unique experiences and opportunities for GRCC students, it reached other colleges as well. Wood sees it as an opportunity to expand upon in the future. “I think it gives a lot of opportunities for not only students with a specific major, for example we had GRCC photography majors here who were able to come and take photos to buff their portfolios. People who major in art and design or fashion here at GRCC are all welcome to give us ideas and incorporate their own thoughts on the production.”
Wood continued, “We had brought designers from Kendall College and from Kalamazoo, and they have their own experiences in running shows across the state. This was an opportunity for everyone.”
As the night went on, models and the audience filled the auditorium. The room filled with hugs and smiles, the exchange of flowers, and flashing camera lights. Time seemed to stand still, a feeling that is hoped to be replicated more often on the campus of GRCC.
“I want more events like this on campus,” Clay said. “So students can have a wonderful experience while they’re here at GRCC. So these types of events I would like to see more of, not just from BASU, but from other student organizations as well.”
Collegiate reporter Madisyn Dennison contributed to this story.