From dark, multipurpose space, the Binghamton University Union Undergrounds transformed into a vintage and streetwear fashion showcase on Sunday.
Fashion Runway welcomed students and community members to its first major event, a fashion show with a focus on the local community and body positivity with the title of #RealPeople. The club collaborated with two local vintage boutiques to showcase 26 unique outfits on 13 diverse models.
Jessie Kwan, the president and founder of Fashion Runway and a senior majoring in business administration, said the event was an opportunity to celebrate diversity and challenge the mainstream portrayals of fashion.
“#RealPeople is a fashion show that embraces different body shapes and really empowers anyone to feel comfortable [both] in what they’re wearing and in their own skin,” Kwan said. “We want to empower people not just through clothes but through conversation … fashion is for real people. Fashion should not just be for people who are slim … but for everyone in all shapes, sizes, races and cultures.”
Alexandra VanHoesen, a junior triple-majoring in linguistics, Spanish and Arabic studies, was one of the models for the event. VanHoesen said she was excited about the inclusivity of the event.
“I feel like in the fashion industry … is kind of negative toward women who are larger,” VanHoesen said. “As a larger woman … I like that they included women who are bigger in this high-end fashion event.”
#RealPeople also highlighted styles from two local vintage boutiques, Mabel D. Orr Fashion Boutique and The Blue Egg, both located on Clinton Street in Binghamton. The shops provided outfits for the models, curated around two different stylistic themes: streetwear and vintage. The models wore one of each of these styles as they walked down the runway, with the streetwear outfits opening the show and the vintage outfits rounding out the event.
Heidi Weeks, owner of Mabel D. Orr Fashion Boutique and stylist for #RealPeople, said that the look of the outfit is more important than how old any piece is.
“We mix a lot of vintage and contemporary,” Weeks said. “For me, clothing is art, so I don’t really care what era it’s from.”
Rachel Levy, a senior triple-majoring in history, political science and philosophy, politics and law, served as another model for the event. Levy praised the collaborative process of working alongside these boutiques and the support the models received from the owners in crafting the perfect look.
“They were fantastic,” Levy said. “A lot of the time we would just wander around the store and pick out things that caught our eye. As soon as we said, ‘I like this,’ they said, ‘How can we make this work?’”
The show concluded with a pop-up shop, which featured all the clothes modeled throughout the event for sale. Kwan said she was grateful for the opportunity her organization had to work with the boutiques and noted that the owners were supportive through every step.
“What’s special about these boutiques is that they’re not well-known on campus just because they’re not on the [Off Campus College Transport] bus line,” Kwan said. “But when you actually go to their stores, they have really unique stuff. They actually supported us in casting unique models … I think that was reflected in our work today.”
The event also featured a performance from student breakdance group, the BU Breakers. Kwan said the performance served as a “fun complement” to Fashion Runway’s streetwear collection that opened the show. The event was additionally sponsored by CoreLife Eatery in University Plaza in Vestal. During an intermission, audience members had the opportunity to answer CoreLife trivia in exchange for meal vouchers.
Kwan said she has long-term goals for Fashion Runway.
“Maybe [the University] can create a fashion major,” Kwan said. “That would be our 30-year goal.”