Beauty in Distress: showcasing Black designers & performers with Annual Fashion Show at Rowan

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Beauty in Distress showcases Black designers with annual fashion show. - Staff Writer / Joshua Ayers

On Friday, April 7, the Business Hall was the host for the Annual Fashion Show presented by Beauty in Distress, with this year’s theme being “Game of Threads.”

Organizations such as the Love and Luxe Collegiate — a chapter whose mission is to unite and uplift Black women at Rowan — were present and sold cake pops for $2. 

Vendors included Aromatica, a wellness and lifestyle brand, that makes products such as candles and wearable magic that are made to inspire, heal and protect the person wearing them.   

The designers and brands that were present were Overdose Originals, Clouds and Color, Vintage Breeds, Indifferent and Rayne Designs. Brandon Otte, a Rowan business administration graduate and owner of Clouds and Color, felt like the show was a great means of promotion and connection.

“This show gives me and the other designers a great opportunity to promote their brand,” said Otte. “My brand is here because of the networking and connections I was able to make while I was a student here.”

The fashion show started with a speech from SGA President-elect Brianna Reagan about the designers, musicians and poets featuring their work that night. 

During the show, designers used local student models to show off their different brands and clothing. From dresses and casual wear to swimsuits, each designer was able to show off and express each of their unique designs to the audience. 

In between the designers showing off their brands, local musicians were able to perform their own songs and poets were able to share original poems. These performers included Sav Wil who performed his new song “Obsessed.” Elevated Living Individual (E.L.I.) also attended and performed his song “Heartbreak.”

Throughout the event Reagan had the entire audience engaged, cracking jokes that made everyone laugh and making chants with the audience who felt natural charisma radiating from her.

“With entertainment and fashion, you can be a little freer and it’s beautiful to be able to see the creativity within Black culture and making sure that we’re spreading it on to other people,” Reagan said. “As SGA President I hope to continue doing events like this, not only for African American students but other students as well.” 

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