An air of the New York fashion scene swept through the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom on Friday night.
About 1,000 people dressed up to see the 10th annual Fashion X-Clusive show, put on by the UF Black Student Union in honor of Black History Month. The theme was “Metropolis: A Fashion Utopia,” which featured New York-inspired apparel.
James Miller, a third-year student at UF, has attended Fashion X-Clusive shows for three years. He said these fashion shows have a strong cultural meaning.
“This is actually a staple for the black community,” he said. “Fashion X-Clusive is a great opportunity to celebrate Black History Month and to show off the different talents that the African-American students of the University of Florida campus have.”
Trimaine Sheffeild, director of the fashion show, said it represents more than just UF talent. It also pays homage to professional black artists and producers who sometimes are overlooked.
He and his team spent about 10 months preparing for the show. Fundraising and sponsorship by the Black Student Union and Student Government collected $12,000 to put on the event, he said.
This year, plasma screen TVs were added to the runway to enhance the New York theme.
The runway also was equipped with about 75 stage lights, including intelligent lighting, LED lighting and conventional white lighting, according to Ed Edwards, senior project manager of Sight & Sound Productions, which managed the stage setup.
About 30 students modeled for the show as their friends, sorority sisters and fraternity brothers cheered them on from the audience.
The models took the stage wearing everything from classy New York-style formal wear to black lingerie decorated with felt sunflowers, daisies and other greenery.
A live rapping performance, “Dougie” dance-off and $250 scholarship giveaway also were part of the show.
