The NAACP held their second annual fashion show celebrating Earth Day

The purple spotlights could be seen beaming through the glass windows of the 1787 room in the Campus Center. Upbeat pop music could be heard as soon as you walked up the steps to the ticket table. 

After receiving said ticket from the table, you were ushered by a fabulously dressed man in a suit to walk down the hall where you will be told where to sit. 

The 1787 room was lined with rows and rows of chairs on each side separated by a long black T-shaped stage. There were purple spotlights to create a mysterious and colorful mood. Almost all of the chairs were full of well-dressed Castleton community members and students. In the corner, there was a full DJ setup. On either side of the room were two tables filled with small hors d’oeuvres and desserts that made the event feel even more sophisticated.

The show’s theme was “dress for the occasion” and it included four different style categories – streetwear, multicultural, decades, and runway ready. Within each of these categories, the models would be coming out in their favorite outfits.

Before the show began, NAACP President Kayon Morgan and Vice President Lili Farrell introduced the program as the NAACP’s second annual fashion show.

Farrell reminded us the fashion show was a celebration of Earth Day. All of the outfits were reused by the models. Professor Andrew Vermilyea kindly donated and contributed outfits for the models to wear 

The show then began with the first category: streetwear. This category contained looks ranging from ripped baggy jeans and sweatsuits to stylish accessories. Every one of the models’ outfits was different and unique. 

The first model to strut through the shiny silver streamers hanging from the back wall was Samir Ould-Sfiya. The model was wearing baggy navy blue pants with white seams, a Pop Smoke graphic tee and a colorful spotted fleece. To top it all off, he had on some trendy black sunglasses. 

The Castleton attendees immediately loved the energy and style being poured out from the models as they made their move down the runway, each one wearing something unique and special to their personality. 

Unlike the baggy jeans vibe from Sfiya, Heike Chaney emerged from the silver tinsel in a gorgeous long black and tan lace-pattered skirt topped with a black long-sleeve shirt with a tie in the middle. The clicking of her high heels echoed as she strutted down the long T-shaped platform. 

As every model flaunted down the runway, the Castleton community was in awe of the various styles and concepts of each person’s look. 

“I need to know where she got that jacket from!” exclaimed Rylee Pepin as senior Lily Doton walked down the stage wearing black dress pants, a white button-up shirt and a loose black jacket.

As the last model made her way backstage, everyone came out once again to give a final look and bow to the audience before they would come out with their second look.

The second category was Multicultural. In this category, the models chose outfits representing their culture. Under category two of the show program, it read, “Like last year’s fashion show each model is taking pride and who they are and we are thankful that they are willing to share their culture with us.” 

The models emerged from the tinsel in an outfit that was special and meaningful to each of them, and that represented their culture.

 There was a wide and diverse range of outfits presented in this category, each one different from the last. 

After each model walked down the runway, they all stopped at the end for the audience to fully grasp and obtain the diverse, cultural outfits that were being presented. As each model came upon the stage,  the members of the audience would roar with applause along with many ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs.’ This category was a crowd favorite.

After everyone made their final bows for the multicultural category, the audience had the privilege to hear from Obi the Voicegod, a student in his final year here at Castleton.

Obi the Voicegod was raised in Nigeria. He moved to the United States when he was 19 years old. He now pursues music and moved to Vermont to begin creating and producing music full-time. 

He had everyone up and out of their seats on the first and second songs that he performed. As he owned the stage and jumped up and down the platform, the audience was right beside him clapping and dancing. 

After his performance came the Decades category, dedicated to the change and evolution of fashion throughout the years. Each model brought a different take on how they view fashion from their chosen decade. 

The models began to walk, representing their different eras – the 1920s, every year from the 1950s to the 2000s, and even the Ancient Era.

 Each model had a very different take on their era. Many walked out in retro attire, baggy jeans, sweat suits and even a flapper costume. 

The people of the community were stunned to see all the diverse types of takes the models took on their chosen era. 

In the final category, the model displayed outfits based on the runway ready theme. This was a high-class type of fashion.

The models walked out with their heads high, dressed head-to-toe in elegant dresses, suits and two pieces. 

This last category was extravagant – Everyone really came to play and knew how to work the stage and owned it. As the final model walked, everyone came out once more to take one last bow and show off their latest look.

As the purple spotlight turned down, and the music started to lower, the audience was up and out of their seats as everyone around celebrated a very successful second annual fashion show.