Micaela Turner, Staff Writer
Don’t miss out on the seventh annual Rip the Runway show on Nov. 8 at the Anna Maria Ciccone Theater. Bergen Community College (BCC) designers, dancers, and models will be putting on a fashion show the whole community can enjoy. Special guests like Nitty Green, a member of RIFF, an R&B/hip-hop group, will be performing live. Other guests include Benny Bricks and Pretty Tone, from the YouTube web series 848. This year’s theme is “Express Yourself” by Jadee Prince, the student coordinator, and choreographer.
“When I coordinate for the shows and pick a theme, I either do what’s trending or up-and-coming and what message that should be on a pedestal to bring focus to an important issue or shed light on situations that are ignored,” Prince explained.
Aretha McMillan, the Coordinator for Educational Outreach and the creator of the show, stated that she started the show back in 2013 because there was no representation of the fashion department within the community. Since then, this show has sparked a movement for designers, models and dancers to show their talents and hopefully be recognized.
The show’s top designer, Lorenzo, has been apart of the show since 2017. He was a young designer ready to build his platform and the show was a perfect way to promote his work.
“To help me grow, Rip the Runway has a lot of connections, a lot of people come to the show,” he said. “Ever since I’ve been doing the show, I’ve been getting out there more and more.” Lorenzo has his own Instagram page and designs clothing for others, but still gets excited for the fashion show every year.
Why should you join the show? Many of the young designers and models are inexperienced and need help finding their way into the fashion industry.
McMillan says, “You should join because it not only displays their wears, and show their talent and everything. It gives them a chance to be able to come into themselves.”
When asked to elaborate on the students “coming into themselves,” she answered, “When they first come in they are shy, but when they leave they are open. They are no longer these shy young people now, I have them coordinate the show themselves.”
The show will start at 7 p.m. but there will be a red carpet mocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m., hosted by Bergen’s Culinary Arts program and musical stylings of the Bergen Music club band Synergy. To purchase tickets you can visit the FAB club or the box office before it begins. The box office will open at 6 p.m. on the day of the event. Ticket prices are to be announced.
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