Senior Danielle Miller models a dress from Senegal at Harambee. (Photo by Tabitha Truax)

Walking into the HUB on Thursday, Oct. 8, was a new experience for many Huntington University Students.

The dining area, where students typically munch on their meals, was transformed into a fashion runway, complete with audience seating around the make-shift catwalk.

Why the drastic change to the HUB’s décor?

Harambee, a multi-cultural fashion show sponsored by HU’s newest group, Mosaic.

The show featured clothing from 13 different countries and cultures including kimonos from Japan and authentic garb from Korea, Jamaica, the Philippines, Senegal, Zambia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

The event was an inspiration of sophomore Chris Burton.

“I came up with the genius idea,” Burton teased. “I said, ‘Fashion Show!’”

With the help of sophomore Chevonne Shaw, the vision of the show became a reality.

Burton observed that fashion is something that crosses all cultures and could therefore be used as a medium in uniting HU students.

“We thought it’d be a good way to connect the campus because everyone likes clothes,” Burton said, “and if you don’t like them, you still have to wear them.”

The show itself began to take shape as Burton and Shaw began their pursuit of finding the right outfits to exhibit.

Many of the international students were more than willing to offer clothing specific to their cultures as well as act as the models for those particular outfits.

The theatre department also lent its services, donating some of its more exotic pieces to the collection.

“People were really cooperative,” Shaw said.

Freshman Minkailu Mambo struts the runway in clothing from Sierra Leone (Photo by Tabitha Truax)

Once the outfits were selected, the next order of business was finding models for the event.

“We asked for models,” said Shaw, “and as long as it worked with their schedule, they wanted to do it.”

Burton explained that they sent out mass e-mails asking for models as well as asking people personally.

“Everyone wants to be a model,” Burton joked.

Shar’Niese Miller, a sophomore social work major, responded to one of the e-mails and volunteered her modeling services for the show.

“When we were lined up in the back, we joked, encouraged each other, cheered each other on,” Miller said. “It was a lot of fun.”

The stage was set, the clothes were prepped and the models were getting glamorized, but the creative juices weren’t done flowing yet.

Shaw thought it would be a good idea to break up the fashion aspect of the night with other forms of entertainment. This included an a cappella rendition of Bob Marley’s “One Love” and a Jamaican-gospel-dance piece that closed out the evening performed by Shaw and freshman Gaynel Mullings.

“I thought we should have items in between just to not only have people walking,” Shaw said. “People get bored easily, so it would spice it up a bit.”

Junior Mitsuzi Stone arranged a food tasting following the show which featured cuisine of the different cultures represented throughout the course of the evening.

Although this event took much time and planning, Burton said that the group was allowed to do what they wanted without having too many restrictions placed upon them by the administration.

“We knew we had to keep it PG,” he said. “We’re PG people.”

Burton and Shaw were pleased with how “Harambee” turned out, but, more importantly, that they were able to give HU students a look into something they don’t see everyday.

Sophomore Cheari Lee walks down the runway in traditional Korean garments followed by sophomore Jessica Moi. (Photo by Tabitha Truax)

“I felt like we represented plenty of different cultures, and we had fun,” Burton said. “We don’t have fashion shows at Huntington University, so we gave them a different experience. They got to see what we like to do.”

With the success of their first event under their belt, the members of Mosaic look forward to bring the campus community similar opportunities for unity in the future.