By Clara Niel
The University of Maryland’s Makeup Society hosted their second Annual Beauty and Fashion Expo, featuring student vendors, a fashion show and performances by two student dance groups at Stamp Student Union on Nov. 15.
The president and founder of the Makeup Society, senior criminology major Paris Rowe, was excited to mesh the fashion and beauty world by showcasing student artistry. She and the society’s executive board had been planning the event since August.
“I wanted to have more variety this year. Last year was more focused on makeup, lashes but this time we have skincare, we have earrings, so we just want to have more variety,” Rowe said. “I wanted to combine beauty and fashion because a lot of people like both.”
There were about eight student vendors at the expo showcasing their products, which ranged from nails to makeup to hair. Junior public health science major Marissa Glover was advertising her services for her company Grabberz Nail Co. The self-taught nail technician has been doing nails since August of this year.
“One of the main reasons I started [was that] a lot of nail techs at shops were not giving me what I wanted so I was like, I’m just going to learn how to do them myself,” Glover said.
While students browsed among the tables of vendors, the En’Rage Modeling Team was getting ready to showcase a student designer’s winter collection of crocheted tops, skirts, scarves and other articles of clothing.
Senior neurobiology and physiology major Adaeze Nnabue was the designer behind the pieces. She started crocheting as a way to de-stress and in January 2018, her brand Dezi Collections was born. She started her selling her pieces on an on-demand basis for men, women and even babies. The expo reached out to her for the event.
“It’s really nice, it’s really humbling and I’m so excited to see it,” Nnabue said. “I told the models to make it look how they want, like if they want to dress up it, tie something. Just do you.”
After the fashion show, one the of the student dance groups, Afrochiques, performed. The all-female dance team put together a choreography that explored various African dance styles, including Western and Carribean styles. They performed at the first Beauty and Fashion Expo in October 2018.
“All of us have some type of relation to makeup and beauty so it’s really great and we have a different audience and to be able to show our support, because like this why we’re here as a UMD organization to help and show them what Africa is made of,” senior family science and psychology major Amira Walton said. Walton handles public relations for and is the treasurer of Afrochique.
People buzzed around Prince George’s room after and congratulated the models who so confidently walked the stage. Students who came were chatting with vendors and signing up for their newsletters. Advice was exchanged between people who attended and the ones who were involved with the expo.
“I like fashion, I really enjoyed the fashion show and I like that a student presented her designs. It encouraged me and gave me ideas for my own future creations,” freshman letters and science major Valeria Jovel said.