Vershawn London stood onstage in front of more than 1,000 onlookers, confident and composed. "I want to give you the highest in fashion," the part-time sophomore at SUNY Rockland Community College, said to the crowd. London, who founded the Fashion House of London in the fall of 2004 and majors in business, saw the culmination of his vision to promote fashion for a good cause in a show titled simply, "Allure." Proceeds from the show, about $12,000, went to St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center for research about Sickle Cell Anemia and Nyack Hospital juvenile diabetes support group. London, whose father died a few years ago as a result of sickle cell anemia, also carries the sickle cell trait, as do his sisters. He also has a niece affected by juvenile diabetes. "Fashion is like a performing art, it's a medium, and through that medium I wanted to educate people on these diseases," London told Outlook. The show featured clothes from local design companies including Eastwick, Dutch, Abani Sportswear, Woodwear, Toma and Tyrell Collections. The apparel ran the gamut from evening dresses and tuxedos to casual and swimwear. The also show featured several music and dance interludes. In between exhibitions, several performers took the stage, such as "Black Vocals," "Word Prfct," "Melly Scuggs" and "Diamond Dancers." They occupied the audience as the models changed outfits. "The music was just like having a glass of wine with a meal, it compliments it," said London. The audience, which was estimated in to be about 1,200 people, responded in an overwhelmingly positive way. "The ladies were hot," said Max Occena, a sophomore. "The music, the clothes, it all flowed, it was real tight." The entire show rang with a feeling of community. Near the end of the first half, London extended an invitation to anyone in the audience who wanted a chance to walk the runway, a chance which many readily took. "I had a vision for what I wanted the show to be. I wanted it to help the students believe in themselves, that they too could be a part of a production of this magnitude." London said. Those involved also came away with a like disposition. "We were constantly moving," said Shaaei Seghatol, a model coordinator and high school senior taking classes at RCC. "It was a lot of work but it all really came together." "She loves fashion" said Shaaei's mother, Lili, who attended the show. "It's amazing the work they've done, this is only their third show." Model Maria Broussard loved being on stage. "It's the clothes, the audience, and the rush you get when you're up there," the sophomore said. "It doesn't get any better than that." Other models shared Broussard's enthusiasm. "We had a lot of great designers, it gives me a lot of confidence when I walk." said freshman Andrea Hamar. "The reason I got involved was a lot of people said I could pull it off," said sophomore Marco Riccoboni. "I get stopped sometimes on the street because people say I look like Ashton Kutcher. I've even gotten Rupert Everett a few times." While a year of planning and over $10,000 went into the production, the show had its share of setbacks, London said. During setup for the performance, the crew had some difficulty getting the stage inside the Fieldhouse because it was very large. The Student Government Association also forbade the use of a smoke machine because of the possibility an audience member could suffer an asthma attack. Da Silva, a designer slated to be featured in the finale, simply failed to show up. The models also had complaints of the dogged pace the show ran backstage. "My knee is killing me, but it's good," said Riccoboni afterwards. "It was hectic back there. You're in and out and then just waiting." The slight tension among the models was no match for the overwhelming sense of camaraderie. "In such a big group, cliques do develop, but even so we could all still see we were all in it together," Riccoboni said. The largest disruption of the show came when a model's breasts slipped out from her dress. This prompted many in the audience to hoot and shout from their seats while a few families with children headed for the door. This wardrobe malfunction occurred twice, during the Eastwick and Woodwear exhibitions. "It happens on the runway," said London as he addressed the crowd to quiet them down. In the week following the fashion show, The Fashion House of London held their semi-annual awards banquet, where those involved with the club are recognized for their excellence and commitment on May 5 in the Student Union.
For the love of fashion
The Fashion House of London holds biggest club event in years
Published: Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Updated: Tuesday, August 11, 2009 02:08
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