“Worth the Hype:” Afrofuturist Student Fashion Show Celebrates Howard’s 100th Homecoming Anniversary

The Howard Student Fashion Show is an annual homecoming event that showcases the creativity and ingenuity of Howard University students. This year’s theme, “The Centennial,” drew inspiration from Afrofuturism while honoring the university’s legacy as a center of cultural development and innovation.

The show was dedicated to Afrofuturism – a movement that combines African culture with futuristic technology and imagination – and showcased how the institution, its students, its alumni and the communities they serve continue to thrive in a world that is constantly evolving thrive.

The energy in Cramton Auditorium was electric as students eagerly awaited the premiere of their classmates’ creations. Hosts Gregory Allen Jr., The 48th Mister Howard, and Ahmad Edwards, Mister School of Business, got the audience going and set the tone for an exciting evening.

“This is my first homecoming and I’m excited to experience this part of Howard’s culture because I know fashion is a big part of it,” said Rex Riley, a first-year history student. “Going to class every day is like a fashion show, so I’m excited to see what they’ll bring to the real fashion show, and I just know they’ll bring it!”

Designers combined cultural heritage with avant-garde concepts. Each section of the show explored the utopian and dystopian sides of Afrofuturism, focusing on themes of light and darkness. The Light segment featured vibrant fabrics and elegant designs, while the Dark segment showcased bold, experimental looks and highlighted Howard University’s influence on the future.

The show began with an introduction to Afropunk fashion. Platinum, fur and leather. The music in this section was a mix of hip-hop and rock, with tracks like Megan Thee Stallion’s “Cobra” rock remix and Rico Nasty’s signature punk influence. The music selection suited each segment perfectly.

The second segment, “Jordan Afro Streetwear,” highlighted a collaboration between Howard University and Jordan Brand, with models wearing modern streetwear with accents of Jordan references. In the middle, rappers Monaleo and Stunna 4 Vegas surprised the audience with an energetic performance that had students standing up from their seats, cheering and dancing along.

Segment three featured custom pieces from student designers, while the final segment, which focused on Afrofuturism, wowed the audience with chic ensembles.

Freshman Elijah Sanford Abdul-Aziz, who worked as a model in high school, attended the show. “
“I was stunned, my mouth was on the floor. I left [the runway] Once in high school and I wanted to do it here at Howard, so this was really inspiring and worth the hype.” Sanford Abdul-Aziz attended along with Hayden Johnson, a freshman journalism major who said, “I thought it was great , especially as an aspiring creative director. Watching this gave me a lot of insight into what a good show should look like. It was bellissimo, it was incredible.”