For most, silken curtains and spotlights aren’t what you would expect to see in the student union on a Wednesday evening—nor carpeted platforms, large panels, or groups of passersby swathed in white and strutting in heels.

On Wednesday, Oct. 22, however, the Bollinger Student Union was not home only to groups of students and those looking for an evening bite at the food court. With one short journey to the library-facing entrance, students would find that the union had been transformed.

What once was the familiar Cotillion Ballroom was now a runway-ready stage waiting to host Project 14.

Project 14, the title of this year’s show, is the most recent of fourteen annual homecoming week fashion shows held by Nicholls’ NAACP chapter. NAACP President Nasrine Ningbinnin, Vice President Jaylon Butler, and publicist Marilyn Marts coordinated the event. 

Flanked by bright spotlights in the otherwise dramatically dim room, Ningbinnin appeared on stage for double-duty, serving not only as the organization’s president but also the event’s host.

After encouraging the crowd to clap, whoop, and partake in any manner of cheer, the event began with a presentation from Dillard’s.

Campus-sourced models—Tyrin Bell, Keshawna Loyd, De’ja Martinez, Kyrin Moll, Reona Octave, Alana Rodrigue, Samyiah Victorian, and Aiyana White—sashayed to the front of the runway, often pausing for poses and playful spins, modeling tailgate-ready, crimson and white garments from Dillard’s.

A second round of Dillard’s fashion was modeled, this time a denim collection inspired by the KATSEYE x GAP collection from August.

The Omega Kappa chapter of Omega Psi Phi then took to the runway to present a Que stroll, a line dance performed by Omegas throughout the nation.

Following on the tail of the performance, one synonymous with African-American collegiate culture, clothing from Houma’s African Dreamworld was modeled. The exhibition, featuring traditional African patterns and styles, was more than just a display of fashion—rather, it was a display of a common identity shared within the community.

“It’s very nice to give the black organizations a center around campus,” said Marilyn Marts. “It’s nice to have a community, the black community, come together around Nicholls’ campus once a year.”

Over the course of the show, a variety of other vendors showcased clothing: Juju’s Boutique with casual autumn outfits, Neek & Co. with trendy women’s clothing, and Oneway with neon-and-mesh, individual-driven streetwear.

“Oneway isn’t just clothing—it’s a lifestyle,” stated a representative on behalf of the brand.

“Oneway is about being you. You don’t have to change who you are to be accepted; you just have to walk your own path … We don’t follow trends, we set them; we don’t blend in, we stand out; we don’t fake it, we live it. One way, one vision, one mindset, one movement.”

Finishing off the event were three student-led segments: “no dress code,” in which models wore all-black outfits.

This was a Halloween special wherein models showed off their upcoming Halloween costumes and featured merchandise from Nicholls’ bookstore.

Serving as a celebration of fashion, culture, and community, colonels can take inspiration from the show and strut out of the union and into the homecoming festivities organized throughout the upcoming week.

Project 14 Gallery