Bold, Black and Fashionable

When you weave the ideas of a show coordinator and model together, you’re bound to be in store for an event that will be talked about long after it has ended.
Students Russell Simms and Kyrea Booker collectively orchestrated the scenes of the Fashion Show that was titled “Vogue: The Black Issue”. The event was held in the T.H. Harris Auditorium. This is the second year in a row that a fashion show has been held during the Homecoming Week.
“Much hard word and determination went into the planning process of this show, and I am very pleased of how it turned out. It’s just the start of what I have in store for Grambling this year,” says Simms, a native of New Orleans.
The hosts for the event were Rudy Bradford and Raven Croft.
As the lights began to dim and the curtains opened up, student Mionne Featherstone began to serenade the crowd, sitting atop of a black piano, singing with her angelic voice, ‘Haunted’ by Beyonce Knowles.
While the Atlanta native was singing, dance group Unexpected (led by student Steva Lowery) mesmerized the crowd with ballerina-like moves and bends.
The first scene of the night was from Taylor Mayed Creations. Models strut- ted the runway donning leopard-prints and dark colors. Mastermind behind the
line, Ashley Taylor, is a 2009 and 2013 graduate of GSU.
While the models changed for the upcoming scenes, DJ Twins LaMon and LaQuann Wimberly entertained the crowd with music.
After the intermission, designs by graduate student Katrina Harris were shown. Harris not only designs custom made clothing but also owns One Wardrobe, a trendy boutique located in downtown Ruston.
Following Harris’ clothing was a rap performance by student Travis Mat- thews that included vocals from Miss GSU Ginia Smith.
Not only did the show include clothing for females, but designer Christien McCray had something special for the men. With bold colors, flowers and one of a kind designs, the men of the Christien Kollection were dressed in blazers and suits, who definitely got the attention and reaction from the females in the audience. “When it comes to my clothing, I don’t have an inspiration. I want to be as unique as possible, so my brand will not be compared nor be similar to anyone else’s.”
Students and supporters of the models and designers were raving about the show before the curtains closed. “I enjoyed every bit of it. Interesting. The crowd was active in cheering for their favorite model(s),” says sophomore Jo- nae Kelly.
Ending the show was a dance performance by Unexpected.