FAUs Fashion Forward celebrates 10th anniversary with fashion show – UNIVERSITY PRESS

FAU's Fashion Forward, a student-run organization dedicated to fashion enthusiasts, hosted a show at Live Oak Pavilion on Monday. The event embraced all facets of the fashion industry, including modeling, styling and photography.

The fashion show lasted from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and included a dynamic runway show featuring seven student models affiliated with Fashion Forward. Fashion Forward collaborated with the Student Governments Program Board, a student-led organization committed to providing free, fun, and quality events at FAU. Alexa Gustin, associate director of Program Boards who helped organize the event, reported that 33 people attended the event.

We really enjoyed encouraging people to unleash their inner fierceness, said Kiki Johnson, FAU business major and president of Fashion Forward. Our motto is edgy and fierce, which is why we truly want everyone to be the best version of themselves every time they walk the runway.

The theme of this show was New York Fashion Weekand the models had the autonomy to create their own routine and choose a song to model to.

According to board members, each model wore outfits from their own wardrobe that would represent what a New York Fashion Week spectator would wear.

[The board members] Exploring creative freedom, and they are always listening to what we have to say and what we want to do, said Josh McGee, an accounting junior at FAU. It was a cool event and it was nice to interact with the crowd.

During his freshman year of college, McGee attended a Fashion Forward show with his friends and wanted to be a part of the experience. He enrolled the following year and has been actively participating in shows ever since.

The main thing I love about fashion shows, besides the images that come out of them, is simply the feelings you get before the show. It's not nervousness but rather excitement, McGee said. You can see what everyone is offering. It's been really fun so far.

Fashion Forward members randomly selected audience members to participate in the runway lesson. These selected individuals strutted down the red carpet to the music, striking a pose at the end. FAU marketing and finance manager Nyeejah Ricketts, who attended a few Fashion Forward shows this year, was one of the spectators selected to become a model.

[Fashion Forward is] really good at interacting with the crowd and just getting people out of their comfort zone,” Ricketts said. They're really good at making us feel confident, in a way that is one of the main things I love about Fashion Forward.

Models showcase their style on runway shows, selecting outfits from their wardrobe and doing their own hair and makeup. For the club's monthly photo shoots, models typically borrow outfits from the Fashion Forward Closet, a space dedicated to club members, alumni and models to donate clothes they no longer wear.

Usually, many models are multi-talented, said Afrianey Charelus, FAU psychology junior and Fashion Forwards fashion liaison. So before the shows, everyone helps each other, whether it's with hair or makeup.

Charelus gives sartorial advice to the models and sets the themes for each of the club's fashion shows. She approves all the outfits before they go on the runway.

One thing we definitely encourage within the organization is individuality, Johnson said. No two models are the same as the last, and we really love seeing how these models bring these themes to their own personal style and continue to show off and show off.

The number and range of models on the catwalk varies for each show.

When we hold our own shows, we make sure that all of our models are able to walk at least two to three times, so they have the opportunity to show off their talents and what they have learned throughout the semester within our organization,” Johnson said.

It was one of their smaller events, according to Johnson and Charelus. However, the club is preparing for its annual special segment performance in collaboration with FAU. Progressive Black Men Inc.. (PBM) at the Wimberly Library on February 16. This upcoming show will feature the majority of Fashion Forward members on the catwalk.

The club has about 60 members, according to Elaine Vales, FAU junior social worker and Fashion Forward social media director. Fashion Forward holds club meetings every Tuesday and Thursday from 7-9 p.m., usually in the student union, but the meeting location may vary.

Fashion Forward has been around for ten years now, Johnson said. This is our decade in the making, so we really want to make a big statement this year, and we definitely have a lot of good things planned.