Artistic attire billows down the runway in BSA’s Fashion Show

Rensselaer’s Black Student Association held their annual fashion show on February 25, featuring a variety of vibrant, modern, and chic pieces. BSA started off their show with a performance of jazz music by the Rensselaer Music Association. After they concluded, BSA president Fiona Clarke ’23 introduced the two MCs of the night: Angela Thevenin ’23 and Brian Wright ’23.

The theme of the show was resurgence, so the MCs started by asking the audience to think about what resurgence means to them, and picked a few to share what they thought to the audience. Throughout the program, intermissions between designers were filled by RMA’s lively jazz music, continuing the show while giving the audience a chance to fully take in the pieces presented.

The first performance of the show did not feature fashion. Performing with a keyboardist and drummer, performers Reuben Abu ’25 and Chidera Amadife ’26 played a few lyrical songs which quickly transitioned into an energetic pop song through a bass drop. The wonderful soloists showed immense talent and rhythm as they sang, even getting the audience to clap along to the song.

Starting with the first designer, Vac’eia Designs had varied blue lighting cast on the models as they crossed the walkway which instantly made them stand out. The contrast between the dark backgrounds and the sky blue strips of lights cast the vibrantly colored outfits in a unique way. The set of outfits featured a variety of flowy dresses and pants which billowed as they walked past the audience.

The next designer was IDK IK, or I Don’t Know I Know, which focused on a collection of sweatshirts and relaxed clothing. Featuring unique designs on half zips and streetwear, this designer showed how fashion design was not limited to fancy clothing—it’s a versatile art form which can apply to everything from formal occasions to everyday wear. One unique element of this designer's set was a piece that closely resembled a straightjacket, a stark contrast to the other pieces presented in this show.

The third set of the night featured the designer of Eighth Crown, Mike Adetunji ’24, with a lot of sweatshirts and leisure wear. Many of the designs involved comfort and flexibility in their designs. Though most of the sweatshirt designs featured solid colors, they combined into one cohesive set.

The next designer was 4 Dani. One design was given by a mother who dedicated the set to her daughter who unfortunately passed, but many of the other designs were created in quarantine. Including a selection of sweatpants and cropped hoodies, they set themselves apart by including tie-dye and gems on the attire, with their logo proudly displayed on the back of most of the garments.

The last designer featured a junior from the University of Albany, Ananda By A. Many of the pieces featured intricate backs, elevating the designs and creating an all-around beautiful outfit. To contrast others of the night, this designer featured many designs and patterns on the clothing, steering away from solid colors and manipulated unique colors and patterns to elevate their clothing.

To finish the night, all the models came down the runway as the audience cheered, presenting the entire array of clothing from the night. Overall, BSA’s Fashion Show was quite a memorable one. While they have not been able to put on a show for the past three years due to COVID-19, this one was a spectacular display.