Lee Hall was the place to find loud music, eager students bouncing in and out of their seats and FAMU’s most fashionable strutting their stuff on stage during Friday night’s model competition.
The occasion, “The Truth…A Flawless Event Fashion Competition,” was a fundraiser event presented by Collaborative Minds, a student organization that teaches people how to become student entrepreneurs.
That night guests were entertained with scenes performed by Images, Faces, Epicurean Fashion Experience! modeling troupes, and the Lady’s of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Diva’s Dance Team and House Arrest 2 Dance Team also worked the stage. The night’s event had mixed crowd reactions.
“This wasn’t worth my $5,” said Kira Wimberly, 21, a senior education student from Fort Lauderdale. “They need better music, a better host and… just everything could have been better”
Doors opened at 7:15 p.m., but the first performance wasn’t until 8p.m. Before then, the crowd attempted to entertain themselves by having dance competitions in the audience. And as the night continued, the competition on stage heated up.
Former Mr. FAMU Marion Slaton kept his eye on the stage. A judge for the evening, Slaton, 22, a business and psychology student from Atlanta, said he knew what he was looking for.
“I’m looking for fashion, creativity and well synchronized models,” he said. Slaton admitted everyone was doing well, but he wouldn’t say who he thought would win the competition.
Andrew Shuler 21, a junior economics student from Orlando, felt he knew who wasperforming the best.
“The show is really nice,” Shuler said. “My favorite part was a scene performed by Epicurean. I think they are going to win.”
Others like, Kedra Upshaw 19, a sophomore African American studies student, could care less about the winner.
“This is very entertaining, but I came here to see a few of my friends,” she said.
The highlight of the evening was during the lingerie and bathing suit scenes that made the ladies and the men in the crowd clap in approval. Other scenes included high fashion and hip-hop. One scene that had the crowd on their feet incorporated Epicurean’s signature jacket twirling piece with a now famous slow-motion sequence from the hit movie, “The Matrix.”
President of Faces Modeling Troupe C.J. Wellington, 21, a senior business student from Miami, admitted that although the competition was tight, the eventwas well worth it.
After nearly three hours it was time to put an end to the suspense. The winner was Epicurean Fashion Experience!
For Wellington, he said that there were no hard feelings.
“I think the show was a good opportunity to come together and have fun.”