The red carpet rolled out, with photographers snapping pics of attendees upon arrival. The lights dimmed, smoke swirled, and Afro-beats pulsed through the air, setting the stage for a night filled with culture and fashion.
The African Student Organization at MTSU hosted their Night in Africa fashion show Feb. 27 in the Student Union Ballroom. ASO first produced this show in 2017, but took a break after 2019. That break was extended due to COVID-19 restrictions. Though NIA isn’t new to MTSU, ASO members revived it with a fresh vision. Fashion show directors Javious Mitchell and Esther Nsougan chose the theme to embody African culture through a modern-day lens.
“We wanted to show the religion, the music, the culture and the embodiment of African culture,” Mitchell said.
Bridging the gap
The show included looks from categories including “Gods and Goddesses,” “Rep Your Roots” and “Nature by Night.” ASO’s vice president, Amber Ojuade, chose these concepts to connect African and African American cultures, highlighting their shared influences.
“Our inspiration was bridging the gap between the diaspora and the African Americans and Americans in general,” Ojuade said. “So they could see how connected we are, and we bring out things that they would see in their day-to-day life.”
ASO members also wanted to showcase more than fashion to their audience. Ojuade emphasized the role of African fashion in preserving history — something she believes is worth celebrating. ASO wanted to represent African culture through a blend of creativity and rich heritage.
“A lot of times, when people talk about Africa, it’s always in a negative light, but that’s the complete opposite of what it is for Africans,” Ojuade said. “Africans are happy people, and if we could showcase them in their happiest state, that is the best thing we can do for ourselves.”
Blending tradition and today
Apparel designers like Katelyn Byars worked tirelessly putting together piece after piece for each look that made its way down the runway. Assisting Byars, Maryangel Tobaldo helped design the animal print category, which took extensive research to connect the animals with the African theme.
“We looked at a lot of animals from Africa,” Tobaldo said. “And we looked at a lot of popular animal print styles that were popular in the early 2000s as well to put the pieces together.”
Tobaldo expressed gratitude for being able to assist Byars in putting the pieces together to express a portion of African culture in the show.
“I think this is so beautiful, and I feel like all cultures need to have events like this because during times like this, it can be very scary to rep your roots, so it was great being able to show this off,” Tobaldo said.
In addition to Byars, designers Taliah Wright and Desiree Woods also played key roles in bringing the show’s vision to life, each contributing their creativity and expertise to different aspects of the collection.
Model Joshua Jackson rocked vibrantly colored pieces and wooed the crowd as he strutted down the runway. Although Jackson isn’t new to modeling, this year was his first NIA. He wanted to be a part of the show that uniquely celebrated Black culture.
“Everything that we wore was to embody the scene in some way while incorporating some African traditions into it,” Jackson said.
Jackson felt inspired to be a part of this show and to express the representation of Black culture through African fashion.
“A lot of things in this world draw from African culture, so it’s important that we trace back our roots and know where we come from,” Jackson said. “It’s important to spread the history and the knowledge to folks; that way, it’s not forgotten.”
During the Royal finale, dancers from MTSU’s Performing Arts Company performed alongside the models on the runway, adding an extra layer of celebration to the performance.
“They represented where I was from”
The audience erupted in cheers and a standing ovation as the show unfolded. Students Raven Nixon and Bre’Tasi Collier were fully immersed in the celebration as they watched the show from start to finish.
Nixon and Collier were both intrigued about NIA after seeing the flyer and promotion for it on social media. Collier appreciated the printed program handed out to the audience, saying it made it easier to follow along with the show. Nixon loved the “Rep Your Roots” portion of the show, and felt included seeing her country represented down the runway.
“My favorite part was the different models representing the part of the world they’re from, and specifically the Bahamas, because they represented where I was from,” Nixon said.
Collier recognized NIA’S impact on her as a student. She learned more about different countries in Africa just by seeing the fashion.
“The scene with the flags showed us more insight into what each country wears and just how diverse MTSU really is,” Collier said.
Nixon and Collier were impressed by the range of outfits and diversity of models that strutted down the runway.
“I think the incorporation of different pieces, such as modest looks and animal print, looked really good, and it kept my attention,” Nixon said.
The show ended with each model lined up on stage taking a bow as the host thanked each of the sponsors and the NIA executive board for bringing this fashion show back to MTSU. President Shamso Hussein hopes to bring the show back in 2026.
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