By AILEEN BURKE
News Editor
Student organization Spectrum ALANA will be holding its annual Fashion show; a student body tradition in the Spring Semester, on Feb. 22, 2019.
Every year, the Spectrum ALANA group, more commonly known as Spectrum, works with new designers to bring their style to campus, and to present an upscale and curated evening event that is signature to The College of Saint Rose.
“This year’s theme, Bad Boy versus Death Row is planned to pay homage to 90s Hip Hop Culture,” said Alexis Melvin, the president of Spectrum. “We chose this theme because the show falls in the midst of Black History Month. Hip Hop is very important part of black culture. Many of the artists from these [hip hop] labels are some of the most influential, such as Tupac, Biggie, Diddy, Snoop Dogg, Lil Kim, etc. Also, some of these people made music at a time when Hip Hop wasn’t so mainstream or widely accepted. So we definitely want to honor their contributions.”
The curation of the yearly show requires a great deal of coordination, planning, and execution on the part of the organization; particularly members of their executive board. All of the designs are put together by the board that runs the show. One of this year’s show coordinators and Spectrum secretary, Binta Sangyang, was up for the challenge after participating as a model in previous shows herself.
“The event to me is not just a fashion show,” said Sangyang. “Being a part of the e-board changed my entire perspective because I didn’t realize how much work goes into planning a show. The board works restlessly to ensure that everything goes according to plan.”
Sangyang later commended the other members of the board, and the models for all of the work and practice that they put into the show. The other coordinators are Victoria Olanipekun, Wes Walle, and Malissa Lincifort.
One of the most compelling details of the show is the student models that are used throughout to present the fashions and story behind the theme. Student models are a long-standing tradition of the show, and make the event even more personal to those involved on campus.
“It’s hard work, but it is all worth it in the end,” said model Jaylen Parker.
The modeling tryouts were in October of last semester, and had a “surprisingly big turnout,” according to Sangyang. The selected models practice frequently in serious anticipation of the event. At the end of the day, everyone is grateful for the social connections that participation in this campus tradition provides.
“Spectrum isn’t just an organization,” said Sangyang. “It’s a family.”
Spectrum’s annual fashion show, Bad Boy Versus Death Row: A Tribute to the Golden Era of Hip Hop, is Friday, Feb. 22 at Saint Joseph’s Hall. The doors to the event open at 6:30 p.m., and close at 7:15 p.m. Tickets are $7 for Saint Rose students, and $10 for non-Saint Rose students. The event’s listed dress code is all white, with a “dash” of color.
