Clad in the required “executive realness” dress code, fashionista fans gathered for a high-end night of creativity, culture and innovation. Runway at U.Va presented its show “UNVEILED” to a sold out audience who lined the hallways of Campbell Hall’s first floor. The exhibition featured 14 designers and 28 models, all students from various disciplines at the University.
Through both the designs and the models, “UNVEILED” focuses on uplifting a diversity of voices, which the organization argues has not always been the case at the University. The show centers specifically around ideas of voice as it relates to student power and lack thereof, mourning the idea of being silenced while finding the resilience to regain ownership of one’s creative power.
In the words of their pamphlet, “UNVEILED” showcases this resilience “with veils draped over the walls of an academic building, lighting that reflects our mood and clothing that embodies resistance to the systems that have oppressed and silenced us.”
Unlike last year’s exhibition — which took place outside in front of the Rotunda — this show created two perpendicular runways with chairs lined in a corner of Campbell Hall. The choice to move to an academic building was intentional, symbolizing a centering of the student voice and creativity in an academic space according to Yani Iben, vice president of Runway and fourth-year Commerce student.
“We want to do it in these academic spaces so that way we can have our voices heard,” Iben said. “[We are] intertwining academic spaces as well as our design to express ourselves.”
Guests entered to find their seats while DJ Tyree Mathis — a local DJ who doubles as a staff member for the Office of Student Affairs — set a modern vibe for the night with a variety of house music.
A few minutes after doors closed at 6 p.m., audiences quieted as Runway president Lorena Castillo took the mic, showing off her own dazzling “executive realness” outfit — a flashy take on business attire where each person can exhibit their own personal style. She took a moment to acknowledge the two shelter-in-place incidents on grounds Tuesday and Thursday, offering up the show as a space to experience that frustration, anger and uncertainty, letting it manifest in the art.
Lights went up with an opening performance by Mocha on the Menu, a neo-soul-pop duo featuring second-year College student Calista Nelson on vocals and third-year College student Austin Mo on the keyboard. Nelson belted out a powerful refrain of “Roseblood” by Mazzy Star, taking a breath before all of the models entered two-by-two, dressed in all black. They wore red veils, signifying the mourning element of the show, and made it to the end of the runways before turning to face their partner and tearing off each others’ veils.
Livs Sun, marketing director of Runway and second-year Commerce student, noted that these moments in the show were designed to draw in the audience, making them feel as though they are part of the show.
“We don't want this to just feel like you're sitting there,” Sun said. “We want to bring the audience into the story. It's almost like you're coming to watch theater … It’s a very immersive, interactive experience.”
Mocha on the Menu returned to the stage following this breathtaking introduction of the models. The pair performed three songs— including a soulful rendition of “(They Long to Be) Close to You” by Carpenters — to set a warm tone of love and unity before the models made their individual debuts.
Following this performance, each model walked down the perpendicular catwalks once. These expressive walks were demonstrations of the art they were wearing, each poised and professional, proudly displaying the designers’ creation. There was a brief break between sets with poetry performed by fourth-year College student Azhané Pollard, whose work centered around themes of love and personal identity.
Many models walked two at a time, entering together with a showstopping beat, then strutting their separate ways down each of the runways. Each of the 28 models wore a design uniquely created for their proportions. One standout of the night was a trio of sharply dressed cowgirls, each fitted in a unique denim outfit. The three models amplified the differences in designs with different performances, each fitting the distinct attitude of their costume.
For the models, the show is an expression of full-body art according to third-year Nursing student Aimee Lu.
“I am completely immersed in art, literally, because my body is wearing something that someone created,” Lu said.
Designs spanned the entire range of fashion — from Western-inspired to gothic to ethereal. This diversity showcased not only a wide range of artistic voices but also the variety of talent put forth by these student designers, who designed their entire collections from sustainable items.
“Every single piece of clothing up there is student designed and sustainably made,” Iben said. “We partnered with SWAP and used all of their excess clothes from their event last semester and had designers use those to come up with their pieces.”
Student designers received professional training from Annie Temmink, a lecturer with the drama department and local artist who specializes in wearable art. Temmink teaches them techniques that they then implement when designing for their specific model.
For these designers and models, the meaning of the show was both a chance to present their art and connect with a diverse community in which they can create a joint masterpiece of wearable art. This showcase was no small feat, as everyone working on the production spent countless hours developing their craft. According to Nevon Dinh, a model for Runway and fourth-year College student, he and the other models practiced their walks for months once cast in the show.
Second-year College student Araceli Constacio noted the welcoming environment of Runway’s executive team, which was evident in the synergy between the models and designers, felt both during the show and after, when designers ran to greet their models.
“You can tell [the exec] wanted people there,” Constacio said. “They wanted to provide a safe environment for everyone.”
At the end of the show, all models walked in a final parade to the tune of Kendrick Lamar’s “PRIDE.” This moment of unity was a powerful display of the connectivity between the artists, their art and the people wearing it. To end the night, Castillo took a moment to give the “UNVEILED” designers their proper praise, asking them all to stand up, and they received thunderous applause for their creations. A few of the designers doubled as their own models, now getting to take the stage in both forms.
“These are first-time designers [and] those who have been designing their entire lives,” Lu said. “To see them create something so wonderful and beautiful, fitted to my unique body, is just such an honor.”
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