- Obi Agbo,
President of A Trend to Follow
Does wearing a “hoodie” make you a gang member? Does having blond hair mean you’re dumb? ISU students were invited to reflect on the stereotypes that fill our society in a groundbreaking fashion show that blended eye-catching spectacle with a social message.
The student organization A Trend to Follow recently staged their first fashion show in the Brown Ballroom. entitled “Society in the Mirror.” The event ventured into a new territory, boldly mixing glamor, music, and poetry to address the evils of stereotyping.
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| At left a model for the A Trend to Follow fashion show strikes a pose on the catwalk during rehearsals. (Photo by Katie Sowa / Staff Photographer) |
“I know many of you have been victims of stereotyping in some shape of form,” said co-host Denisha Deandridge as she took the stage. “Some of you may not even be aware that you are being profiled for things you cannot control, like the color of your skin or your gender.
Preview: Fashion show seeks to dispel myths
“Tonight A Trend to Follow is going to show you how it looks when we discriminate against one another through fashion, music and creativity. Enjoy.”
Social stereotyping was central to the show from the very first scene. Two female models (visibly differing in body size) took the stage clad in form-fitting, spandex leotards. Each woman extenuated the shape of her body as she walked. The words “Curvy vs. Petite” appeared on two projectors placed on both sides of the stage as the models reached the end of the runway.
The models faced-off in a unique walking battle; both sizing the other up and comparing their opponents body to their own. Show-goers cheered for the model of their choice as they continued to walk, apparently battling over whose body shape was better. As they exited the words “No BODY is perfect” appeared on the projectors and the ballroom faded to black.
“We opened the show with a scene touching on body issues because that is a major social issue students can relate to,” said Obi Agbo, president of A Trend to Follow. “The models were facing off because there is often a difference in opinion when people are asked whether they prefer a small or large body size.
“We put the words ‘No BODY is perfect’ at the end of the scene to show that there may be an ideal body size but no one deserves to be judged by their body type. Every body is perfect.”
Clad in exclusive clothing from aspiring designers such as Milan Elite, Conscious Clothing, Fame and Fortune Apparel, fashion was a key part of the spectacle. Designers presented a variety of styles for A Trend to Follow to utilize, but screen-printed t-shirts, embellished sweatshirts and cardigans were the norm.
The styles were incorporated into the show with “regular scenes” where the models gave their acting skills a break and took to the runway.
“I’m glad the coordinators allowed us to do regular scenes for the show,” said model Diamante Brown. “From the very first practice they told us we would be doing a lot of acting for our stereotypes, but they also wanted to make sure they had lots of fashion in the show.
“That’s where the regular scenes were added. Those scenes were perfect because they gave us a break and gave the student designers a chance to shine.”
Following the runway parade and a brief intermission, the show took another turn as the Racial Stereotyping segment began. For this section of the show models of different ethnicities took the stage depicting people of other races. African-American model Danielle King portrayed an Indian woman as she appeared with a traditional sari and bindi (an Indian forehead decoration) while Caucasian model Emily Binford appeared draped in an African-printed dress and head wrap.
Agbo said the scene served to symbolize unity amongst different races.
“We asked the models to switch races because we wanted to show that each of us can wear traditional clothing and still look beautiful together,” he said.
“It wasn’t all about the clothing but more about the beauty of the models as they depicted other races. It’s important for the audience to know it’s okay to venture out and try new things. We don’t have to be restricted to the skin we were born into.”
The audience cheered as the models acted out their races and walked hand in hand to symbolize unity. The hosts also stepped onto the stage to expand on racial profiling and how it can affect people around the world, particularly ISU students.
“ISU is too large of a campus for us to be divided,” said the show’s second host Don Corleone Mahone. “Before you judge someone else by the color of their skin put yourself in their shoes. We are all the same and should be treated equally.”
At the conclusion of the segment the curtains rose and musician Sid Siri performed his rendition of hip-hop artist Drake’s hit single ‘Trust Issues’. The song, which was originally written about relationship disputes, was converted into an ode to overcoming discrimination and social restraints. Touching on topics ranging from hate crimes to gender discrepancies, audience members felt the song was a perfect way to end the show.
“I thought Sid’s version of Trust Issues was better than the original,” said audience member Sierra Jackson. “It talked about many of the reasons why everyone has issues trusting each other like skin color, gender and things like that. The fact that Sid sang in a capella made it even more touching. You could hear every word he changed and really take everything in; his performance fit in well with the show.”
From dumb blondes to gangsters, “Society in the Mirror” touched on a variety of issues that are currently plaguing our society. By allowing students to both creatively and fashionably act out stereotypes, A Trend to Follow pulled off a difficult balance - producing a fashion show with educational value.
“This was our first fashion show but it will not be our last,” said Agbo. “If we can continue to educate students while entertaining them, that’s what we’re going to do.