Dressed to the nines

ESU Senior Melenie Rodriguez struts down the runway. Photo Credit / Samantha Swank
ESU Senior Melenie Rodriguez struts down the runway. Photo Credit /  Samantha Swank
ESU Senior Melenie Rodriguez struts down the runway.
Photo Credit / Samantha Swank

By Samantha Swank

SC Contributing Writer

The African American Student Alliance held their Spring 2014 Fashion Show on Saturday, April 12 in the Keystone Room.

ESU students Sophia Samuel, Melenie Rodriguez and Dionna Jones were the three masterminds behind this fashion show.

“The whole reason for the fashion show was to raise money for the Patelsorata Youth Alliance,” said Sophia Samuel.

The Patelsorata Youth Alliance Therapeutic Group Home is a local non-profit organization that helps people with mental health and substance abuse. All the proceeds from the show will be given to the Patelsorata Youth Alliance.

It was a full house that night in the Keystone Room, where everyone was watching and applauding as the spring fashions of local boutiques and stores came down the runway.

The show was hosted by ESU Senior LaShondra Cherry and Aaron Machado, a 2013 ESU graduate. The duo kept the crowd entertained.

The models not only strutted down the runway, but they danced and had playful interactions with the other models.

The first category of fashions to come down the runway was called “All Black.”

The models danced down the runway in their all black outfits. This category featured a performance from the East Stroudsburg University Explosion Step Team.

Step Team members Julianne Kelley, Darketa Greggs, Marshay Anderson, Destiny Washington, Moriah Niblack, and Sakeena Sieq all agreed they were nervous at first,  but the crowd’s energy really got them going.

“The atmostphere was electric” said Freshman Asia Burnett. “You could feel the energy in the room. The audience was crazy. Everybody was yelling and clapping the whole time.”

Other categories of fashions that worked their way down the runway for both women and men included swimwear, evening wear, jewelry, sleepwear, and street wear.

All categories featured choreography by Melenie Rodriguez, Dionna Jones, and Sophia Samuel.

Performances from talented students took place in between a few of the categories of fashion to come down the runway.

Make-up was done by Courtney Milhomme and Stephanie Wieczorek, who was also the fashion coordinator.

The clothing was sponsored by Barbara B’s Boutique, Melvin Lewis, Sassy Formalwear, and Maurices Fashion.

Freshman Destiny Washington., who was a model in the show, said they were lucky to have the designers backstage to help them change outfits.

“It was so hectic,” said Washington. “Everyone was rushing to change outfits to get back on the runway. Clothes were flying through the air. It’s a good thing no one saw what happened backstage.”

Email Samanthat at:

sswank1@live.esu.edu