Omari Holt would describe Saint Louis University’s Black Student Alliance annual fashion show as community service done in a fun way. BSA will host its 13th annual charity fashion show on Sunday, May 8, in the Busch Student Center.
The theme of this year’s show, entitled “Seven,” is the seven deadly sins: Wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony, envy, lust and pride.
Holt said that in the four years he has been involved with the fashion show, it has gotten bigger and better every year and that it has also gained more participants.
The proceeds from this year’s student-run event will go to Keep a Child Alive, which is an organization that provides treatment and support to those affected by HIV and/or AIDS. It aims to improve the quality of life for these victims, especially those living in Africa and India.
Executive-board member Kendra King said that KCA helped BSA come up with the funds for this year’s fashion show.
“We wanted to help out another organization on campus,” King said.
KCA currently runs 10 patient-care clinics worldwide and is sponsored by more than 70 organizations, such as Dillard’s and The Walt Disney Company.
In addition, celebrities including Alicia Keys, Kim Kardashian and Jay Sean have endorsed the organization. Holt described it as a just cause.
In the past, proceeds from the show have gone to benefit organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Last year’s show raised about $1,500.
The executive board for the show consists of seven current SLU students. Holt’s and King’s last names are part of this year’s executive board. One of the duties of these seven students is to conduct rehearsals with models. These models include male and female students from local campuses, including SLU, and from various racial and ethnic backgrounds.
In the past, BSA has aimed to display the work of local designers in the fashion show. The idea of using local designers began last year, and Holt said that they have carried this idea over to this year’s show. The show will include work from local designers such as Eyekon Klothing, Maison Parvenu and Kid & Clay.
“Because we are in St. Louis, we wanted to showcase what we have here in our hometown,” King said.
According to King, when deciding on the clothing that would be used in the show, the executive board “came up with the stereotypical things that might be associated with each sin.”
They tried to picture what the sin might physically look like. For example, when looking for outfits to match the sin of greed, she said that they looked for clothing that was gold, flashy and had animal print and shiny material.
“The theme directly comes through in the clothing,” Holt said.
Holt also said that these themes do not just come through in the clothing, but they also come through in the attitudes of the models. For example, for the sin of sloth, the models were directed to act nonchalant and laid back and to give off an apathetic vibe. He said that they came up with a rubric of attitudes that each sin might exhibit.
King said that this year’s show will better showcase the facial expressions and motions of the models.
Tickets for the show can be purchased in advance for $7 at the Cross Cultural Center in the Busch Student Center or for $10 at the door. The show will begin at 7 p.m. on May 8.
