Student-run UNITY Charity Fashion Show hosted its annual fashion show at Artifact Events in Chicago Thursday. Attendees witnessed a wide range of looks that not only showcased emerging talent from their peers and alumni, but also sparked conversations around cultural identity.
Known for highlighting diversity and philanthropy at Northwestern, the fashion show transformed its venue into a lively runway celebrating the intersection of fashion, art and community engagement centering around the theme of myths.
McCormick senior Cate Mathews said the theme was chosen because it encourages people to look at different cultures or look at mythology from an abstract lens.
“We always want to strive for something that has sort of specificity and inspiration for designers, but we also want to be able to capture a broad array of different perspectives and designs,” Mathews said.
Every UNITY fashion show highlights a local charity. According to Mathews, the chosen charities should focus on the arts and should be doing similar work to UNITY, encouraging students who lack a creative outlet to enter the arts.
Snow City Arts, this year’s beneficiary, offers art education programs in four Chicago-area hospitals, helping young patients express themselves creatively despite challenging circumstances. UNITY’s partnership aimed to raise funds and awareness for the nonprofit’s mission.
Preparation for this year’s UNITY event began in Fall Quarter. Student roles include finding venues, deciding the order of collections and picking models and designers.
This year, the fashion show featured pieces from designers in the Chicago area as well as students in the clothing committee.
“I decided, ‘Why not try something new and learn new skills along the way?’” Weinberg freshman and UNITY designer Ally Song said. “It was a creative and fun process because we got to buy all the fabrics and shop as a team.”
The event showcased a vibrant blend of local creativity, embracing culture and community spirit.
Song’s design, for instance, drew inspiration from her Korean heritage and the Gumiho, a nine-tailed, shapeshifting fox from Korean mythology.
“The impact I want to make is to share what I’m passionate about with other people,” Song said.
To attend the show, attendees paid a $10 ticket fee for Snow City Arts. All proceeds, including the fundraisers hosted by UNITY throughout the year, go to Snow City Arts.
Weinberg freshman Ainee Wittayathawornwong attended UNITY to support her friend as a designer. However, she also mentioned that the charitable aspect of the show made her even more eager to attend.
“I felt good coming here,” Wittayathawornwong said. “I didn’t feel like I was just attending a show. I felt like I’m here for a cause.”
The show aims to spotlight designers and models who may lack traditional industry access or conventional looks but are still creating fashion. It demonstrates that runways don’t require stereotypical body types or skin tones to make an impact.
Students interested in fashion have the opportunity to gain insights through speaker events hosted by UNITY throughout the year.
The student organization provides an unforgettable experience for the audience and for club members who are interested in pursuing a career in fashion down the line, Mathews said.
“I hope that attendees got to appreciate how incredible the sort of diversity of not only models and clothes, but of the different voices in the room,” Mathews said.
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