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Ebony Fashion Fair kicked off at Hofstra

By Norm Harris

The Ebony Fashion Fair, now in its 45th year, is a lavish, one-of a kind traveling show slated to visit 179 cities during the 2002-2003 season. This year’s premiere New York showing, titled “Simply Spectacular,” was held at the Hofstra University James Cranford Adams Playhouse Friday night. It wowed the capacity audience as they were treated to an eclectic collection of beautifully tailored and inspired creations by some of the fashion world’s leading designers.

High fashion and haute couture reigned along with relaxing fun and casual attire as the cadre of beautiful women and handsome men modeled luxurious fabrics, stylishly elegant leather, and capped outfits fetchingly accented with faux and natural furs. The ensembles were the creative genius of such international designer notables as, Anna Sui, Todd Oldham, Bob Mackie, Gianni Versace, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Lacroix, and Nina Ricci, to name just a few. The enthusiastically received show had a little something for everyone, as noted by the attractively Rubenesque Verna Starling when she modeled several very beautiful and sophisticated outfits, during which the commentator enthusiastically at one point noted, “you don’t have to be a size 2 to be sexy.”

During the intermission, sponsor American Airlines provided a pair of tickets to any U.S. destination to an audience raffle winner, while other members of the audience were brought to the stage to receive their raffle winnings of skin care and fashion products.

Following the prize ceremonies, the two presidents of the Theta Iota Omega chapter, and the Pi Pi Omega chapter of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., Janice Smith and Mable Billips, spoke of their respective chapters’ efforts in the community to raise the consciousness about the importance of activism in acquiring a quality education for the youth.

The evening’s Ebony Fashion Fair program was one of their ongoing efforts to raise money to help support several community based programs. They highlighted their chapters’ continuing fund-raising work being done to provide scholarships like that of the NOAH program at Hofstra University, Saturday morning tutorial programs, the Mentoring Program at the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, and the SIDS collaborative program to combat Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. These two chapters of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority have, since 1966, been successful in raising more than $100,000 in scholarships for the youth in and around Nassau and Suffolk Counties.

The Ebony Fashion Fair tour continues in Englewood, NJ. For more information go to www.ebonyfashionfair.com.