Baruch’s African Students Association hosted their “Threads of the Diaspora” Fashion Show on Dec. 10. The show was “a blend of streetwear and tradition,” and was open to both students and non-students to attend.
The fashion show had three segments. The first set showcased different streetwear designers highlighting student run clothing brands.
Lens by Mr. Camara opened the show. The brand showcased sleek athleisure wear of loose fitted sweatsuits and tight-fitting yoga sets.
The clothing combined comfort and culture, making a statement through its simplicity. Aly Camara, a NYC-based artist and photographer, started the brand in 2023 through social media and currently has a website in development.
With his love of photography, his line of athleisure was born. Every piece displays his signature logo featuring three lenses surrounding each other.
“The first circle represents, you know, family, the second circle represents close friends, and the third is for your associates and just people you wanna hang around,” Camara said in an interview for The Ticker. “Basically, everybody within your lens who you’d want pictures of.”
49Archive then took the stage. His brand featured designs using subway line letters and a lover theme with romantic phrases such as “When I’m with you it feels like heaven.” Each designer left fragments of themselves in all aspects of the pieces that were modeled.
Pretty Girls Go to College, another Baruch student-run clothing line, featured graphic tees with their logo written across the torso. Each article of clothing showcased by Children of the Light was in alignment with their religious beliefs, referring to the brand as a fashion ministry. The streetwear segment ended with a collaboration between the two brands.
The lights dimmed for the remainder of the show, allowing the bright and bedazzled jewels on the clothing to pop as the photographer flashed the camera on each of the models.
The second segment featured different individual countries, while the third segment mixed and matched them into couples as they danced their way through the stage together, modeling both together and apart.
The fashion show concluded with an announcement for African Week for the spring 2025 semester and the official date for their mock African Wedding on April 4.
There was also a surprise show from the ‘rich African aunties’ who were dressed in vibrant clothing, dancing and throwing money all over the stage.
“Well, we did choose three designers that are current Baruch students, so we did that as exposure for them,” the president of ASA, Christiana “CeCe” Addy, said. “We already knew about them. I met them last semester when I was vice president, and so from then on, I always thought it would be important to have their representation in our shows. So, I already owed last semester like, yeah, I’m gonna have you in our fashion show, don’t worry.”
The crowd showed immense support, cheering designers and models at every moment with an immense amount of energy.
“I was very grateful. I am very happy. I am thankful that they chose me to be a part of it. Shout out to Baruch, shout out to ASA. I just feel very grateful,” Camara said.
Addy expressed how ASA certainly achieved their goal of making the African community at Baruch feel better represented on campus throughout the fall and described the event as a great experience to conclude the semester.
“I think it’s so important in terms of showing people’s culture, their heritage; it’s like showing a piece of yourself in a way, so I think that definitely helps with the experience.”
