Stepping into Cramton Auditorium felt like stepping into a time capsule. The vision behind the show was drawn from the dynamic evolution of hip-hop culture over the years, as each model successfully and uniquely personified the subtle but influential impacts of different coasts, seen in the distinctive walking styles, outfits, and songs to match. The fashion honored the trends and figures in Black culture of the 80’s, 90’s, and 00’s. 

Apart from fashion, the show also highlighted the diverse talent at Howard, featuring impressive student musical performances and captivating dance routines that fused old and new school hip-hop. The dancers seamlessly wove their way through the show, frequently sharing the stage with the models.

Recently celebrating its 50th year anniversary, hip-hop has proven how much of an impact it has on society — not just in music, but also in fashion, art, film, and dance. Each decade of hip-hop evolution had its own distinct style trends that often reflected the social and cultural events of that era.  

Following the theme, the clothing perfectly matched the essence of the decades they were embodying. Brands such as Karl Kani, Von Dutch, and Dickies, which were the core of 90’s and 00’s fashion, strutted the runway. As the show progressed, it seamlessly spilled into each new decade.

The 80’s were recognized for their extravagant fashion, which included tracksuits, monochromatic layers, oversized coats, and lots of leather. We also saw the return of the jerseys, varsity jackets, denim-on-denim, and bandanas while effortlessly paying homage to the ‘90s rappers’ fashion that current streetwear emulates. The noticeable fashion influences of icons were apparent in the fashion transition from the 90’s to 00’s; the fashion choices of legends such as Andre 3000, Cam’ron, and Aaliyah were spotted on many of the models, from the bling jewelry to fur. 

The student designers’ talent truly spoke for itself in their collections, and they did not fail to impress. 

Natalia Allen, senior TV and Film major and psychology minor from Staatsburg, New York, talks about opening the show.

“We began with my Black Panther-inspired look since that is how black liberation began but we continued on, liberating ourselves with one of the largest culminations of black creativity: hip-hop, which I think we effectively executed in the show!”