The Binghamton University Business Fashion Society (BUBFS) is hosting its third Fashion Week from April 3 to April 6 with events to educate people on fashion, as well as fun activities for all students.

Outsiders may view the fashion industry as a VIP club that only select designers and stylists can join, but the world of fashion involves a variety of people, jobs, media and companies. BUBFS is a club for those interested in working in fashion and Fashion Week and was created to help BU students gain interest and learn about the business side of fashion.

Kaylee Sanabria, a senior majoring in accounting, serves as the club’s president and hopes to provide BU students with opportunities to combine their love of fashion and business.

“There are many students interested in fashion and pursuing careers within the retail and fashion industry, however, there are little to no opportunities where students can come together to pursue this or gain more knowledge about the industry,” Sanabria wrote in an email. “We wanted to create a fun and inclusive space for our members and the [BU] community to express themselves and their love for fashion.”

The week kicks off on April 3 at 12 p.m. with two fashion shows in partnership with local businesses. The first show will feature athletic wear from Confluence Running, a running specialty store in Johnson City. The second show is with Tesorina Boutique, where models will showcase the boutique’s trendy spring clothing. Both shows are two hours long and will be held in the Young Sam Kim Korean Student Center.

The third fashion show will occur on day two, Monday, April 4 at 6:30 p.m. in University Union Room 324. It will showcase Ruthie’s Run’s stylish and comfortable skiing apparel. Tickets can be bought at the door for $2 for each show.

The fashion shows will mimic the ones you see in magazines and videos of New York City and Paris Fashion Week. There will be a runway for the models to catwalk down, music to enhance the vibes and photographers. There will also be giveaways and discount codes attendees can use to buy the brand’s apparel.

Day two will begin with the Public Ivy Brand Workshop, a popular event the club hosted at last year’s Fashion Week. The two co-founders of the Public Ivy, a successful student-owned clothing business that created the beloved Mein Bowl Mary University apparel, will discuss their tips for building a brand and experiences with developing a clothing line. The workshop will run on April 4 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the School of Management Lounge.

Monday’s events will end at local bar Tom & Marty’s Town House with Fashion Trivia from 9 p.m. 11 p.m. For those who have yet to attend a trivia night at the bar on State Street, groups compete in trivia to win beverages, so this public event is only for those over 21.

Students can indulge in their creative side and decorate their own tote bag on the third day of Fashion Week, Tuesday, April 5. There will be a fundraiser on the Spine where students can purchase and decorate a tote bag for $5.

Fashion Week will end with a bang with three more educational and exciting events. The first event on April 6 is a Zoom speech and discussion from Tzipora Zito, a fashion illustrator, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Attendees can learn about her career and gain some insight into fashion entrepreneurship and design.

BUBFS also wants to highlight the negative environmental effects of fast fashion this Fashion Week. The club is hosting a Fashion Sustainability Workshop in collaboration with BU Food Sustainability on the fourth day of Fashion Week from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. in University Union Room 324. The event will discuss environmentalism in fashion and share eco-friendly shopping alternatives.

“April is Earth Day month and it’s no secret that fashion needs to be more sustainable,” Sanabria wrote. “One crazy statistic that always sticks out to me is that fashion consumes 93 billion metric tons of clean water each year, which is about half of what Americans drink annually. We want to bring awareness to the community on how fast fashion is detrimental to our economy and how it has lately become normalized through social media.”

To end the eventful week, BUBFS is hosting a Fashion Week Gala event in collaboration with Women in Business and Phi Sigma Sigma at 6:30 p.m. in University Union Room 324. The Gala will raise money for the Dress for Success charity, a global nonprofit that donates professional attire for low-income women to wear in interviews. The student organizations are going all out for the Gala with music, mocktails, snacks and photographers to capture pictures of attendees and their friends in formal attire.

Fashion Week will not only be educational for those currently interested in the business side of fashion, but it can introduce students to future career possibilities and creative hobbies they may not have considered before.

“Even if students are not necessarily interested in pursuing a career in fashion, it is still an excellent way to get involved in the campus community and have fun,” Sanabria wrote.

The Google Form to sign up for any of the Fashion Week events can be found on the club’s Instagram account, @bufashionsociety.

“Fashion Week is an excellent opportunity to express yourself, learn more about the fashion industry and have fun,” Sanabria wrote. “We want to show students that landing a career in the fashion industry is possible and there are many opportunities that students may not even be aware of. Fashion Week is a great way to network with local businesses, professionals, alumni, other students sharing similar interests and an even better way to make new friends!”