As the lights dimmed in The Perch and the music began, the crowd was transported back to the 1970s as bell-bottomed performers in colorful tops began entertaining a room full of students, staff and family members at the second annual Caribbean Student Association (CSA) fashion show on April 5. Each performer walked on stage, did a signature dance move and then strutted back as the music faded into screams and cheers from the audience.
The CSA fashion show was an incredible event, according to Terry Severe ’20, publicist for CSA and a participant in the fashion show.
“I mean honestly the first fashion show, which was last year, was amazing,” Severe said. “The turnout was amazing, the show was amazing, everyone loved it.”
With different categories including “Gentlemen’s Club,” “Damn, Denim, Damn” and “Carnival,” this year’s eclectic outfits and fashions caught everyone’s eye and held it for the entire show.
Sierra Long ’20, secretary of CSA, said that the fashion show is the biggest event that the organization hosts every year, and it is also one of the most important.
“We just wanna keep it [the fashion show] going because that’s our legacy, that’s the imprint that we have at this university, the one big thing that we do every year,” Long said.
Imani Briscoe, program coordinator for the Center for Inclusion and Diversity, said the fashion show is a great event for St. Joe’s to see a group of people in the community who are unapologetically full of inspiration and boldness.
“The SJU Caribbean Student Association fashion show is a reflection of the community and tight bonds that exist within pockets of our campus,” Briscoe said.
Members of the audience recorded the event on their cellphones and cheered on their friends and classmates as they posed, strutted and showed off their individuality and style in each category.
Hadassah Colbert ’20, said she attended the fashion show because she is a member of CSA and wanted to support her friends in the performance. This was her second time attending the show, she said she was more impressed with this production than last year’s event.
“I think it’s great, definitely improved from last year,” Colbert said. “They’re doing an excellent job.”
CSA member Kenneth Nwele ’21 said participating in the fashion show was a way for him to try something new.
“It was a good way to branch out with fashion and show what we’re about, and it was a good thing to bring all of us together,” said Nwele. “It was something different I really wanted to be a part of.”
As executive board members, Severe and Long said they were responsible for inviting people from different backgrounds to join the CSA and to attend the organization’s events. Students from Temple, Drexel, the University of Pennsylvania and Howard University attended the show.
“We had about four executive members visit from Penn’s own Caribbean [American Student] Association,” Severe said.
Long and Severe said the diverse crowd was a testament to the efforts of the CSA to open its doors to everyone.
“We welcome all walks of life,” Long said. “It’s for everyone. We want to share our culture and not exclude people from it.”
Briscoe said all participants did good work for the show. Models kept the enthusiastic crowd engaged with their fashion, dancing and attitude.
“These students invested their time, energy and creativity to pull off a show that was nothing less than amazing,” Briscoe said.
