FADS, African Student Union celebrate ‘African royalty’ at Rip the Runway
During Rip the Runway, the best dressed audience members were invited to participate in a "best walk” competition. Outfits were elaborate, with jewels, glitter and intricate patterns. Christian Calabrese | Asst. Photo Editor
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While covered in colorful costumes made from wax, lace, cotton and jewels, models strutted the runway to the sound of Afrobeats and clicking heels, showcasing different parts of the African Renaissance.
“The theme represents African royalty,” Jada Williams, Fashion and Design Society president, said. “It explores all the diasporas, and it showcases the beauty within royalty. The theme together is defying beauty.”
On Sunday night, FADS and Syracuse University’s African Student Union collaborated to host Rip the Runway, a fashion show in Goldstein Auditorium.
Members from both clubs walked the runway in clothing from collections representing different regions of Africa. The outfits aimed to put a modern spin on traditional African dress, Grace Kentrotas, FADS vice president, said.
This show wasn’t the first time these organizations collaborated. Last year, the two groups hosted “Land of the Riches,” another African-themed runway show.
“It’s really nice to keep building on this really great relationship we have with African Student Union,” Kentrotas said. “I think every year, the production becomes bigger and better. So that’s been really cool to watch.”
The event began with a showcase of pieces from the brand East Habesha, representing Ethiopian culture. Mostly consisting of matching sets for men and women, couples walked separately, then met in the middle of the room, posing together at the end of the runway.
The models wore white clothing with a colored fragment at the top and bottom; the clothing’s design and color differed for each couple. Cheering filled the room at each couple’s reunion.
Next, the hosts welcomed Outlaws Dance Troupe, SU’s only all hip-hop dance group. Members danced to a mashup of songs, including “Trance” by Metro Boomin, Travis Scott and Young Thug and “Hoes Be Mad” by BunnaB and Cash Cobain.
The night’s collections included fashion from Senegal, Ethiopia and Nigeria. The event was a night of “luxury,” Kadiatou Bah, ASU ambassador and FADS model director said. Christian Calabrese | Asst. Photo Editor
The dancers performed from behind a sheet, with only their silhouettes visible. Later on, the audience welcomed SU’s only African dance troupe, One World Dance Team, who performed an energetic show in front of a bright red backdrop.
The event was a night of “luxury,” Kadiatou Bah, ASU ambassador and FADS model director said. Outfits were elaborate, with jewels and glitter.
Models also sported looks from a Benin and Nigerian collection by Eldior Sodeck, wearing thick materials with intricate patterns. The collection consisted of colorful long dresses for women and formal attire for men.
In the middle of the event, the hosts invited the best dressed members in the audience to participate in a “who has the best walk” competition. Following the music’s tempo, about 10 competitors demonstrated their best runway strides.
The designer of Baayfall Fashions gave a brief speech explaining her pride in this partnership after her second collaboration with the team. Models walked and displayed her Senegalese pieces. The work consisted of loose clothing made from various materials of mostly primary colors.
After this performance, the executive board of both FADS and ASU walked down the runaway, followed by the models in recognition of their work. Kentrotas said she was grateful for the organizations’ collaboration.
“Showing off African fashion in a very regal, grand way, especially all the different regions,” Kentrotas said. “A priority of (ASU’s) was to kind of get designers from all over the continent, which is really cool to make sure all corners are represented.”
