“There’s nothing like it.”
It sounds cliché, but as I attended my first Ebony Fashion Fair two weeks ago, that same phrase was offered to me as a synopsis of the show again and again.
More than 1,000 were said to have attended the 51st Annual Ebony Fashion Fair the final Saturday in November at UMSL’s Touhill Performing Arts Center.
Unlike traditional runway events, where stone-faced models aggressively strut the catwalk, the Fashion Fair is a dynamic experience. The term “fashion show” hardly does justice to the event that Ebony produces each year and takes to cities around the U.S.
True to African-American form, there is a serious element of soul added to the fashion, from the lights to the commentator to the choreography and underlying themes with each segment.
It becomes a series of captivating visual elements that are woven together n in the same seamlessness as the outfits presented n to give the audience a truly one-of-a-kind show with clothing trends as the centerpiece.
More impressive than the models, clothes and faithful audience that shows up each year are the intricate details and effort placed into every second of the show by Ebony Fashion Fair Producer and Director Eunice W. Johnson.
Just as she had done in nearly 30 cities across the country, commentator Jada Collins offered clever descriptions from memory to the ensembles and themes of the 2008 Fashion Fair entitled “The Runway Report: What’s Hip. What’s Hot. What’s Now!”
Models in hues from butter pecan to deep chocolate (including St. Louis native Destanie Sykes) sported ensembles ranging from trendy to cutting edge to downright “out-there” in exotic furs, Afrocentric gowns, traditional business and formal wear.
The styles featured designers from Tokoyo, Milan, Paris, London, the United States and many other countries. Household names in upscale fashion like Vivien Westwood, Oscar de la Renta, Roberto Cavalli and Yves Saint Laurent shared the stage with African-American designers Kevan Hall and Steven Burrows.
Bold colors and interesting blends of fabrics and prints reflected the “anything goes” concept of 2009 fashion.
More than $500,000 in scholarships have been granted to St. Louis-area students through the Fashion Fair partners The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Federation of Block Units. On a national scale, more than $55 million has been donated to charitable organizations through the showcase over the years.
In the final scene, model Deonna Pinkerton appeared to be on an axis as she slowly turned full-circle while in a stationary position to showcase the final gown of the Runway Report. She continued her seemingly gravity defying range of motion amidst “oohs and aahs” from the audience, accompanied by resounding applause. While it was a stark contrast to the high-energy intro with a stage full of models in perfectly synchronized movement, the show closed as it began: by inspiring awe.
