Eastern’s Black Student Union will host its 21st annual fashion show today.

Damiya Perkins, a senior family and consumer sciences major, said she wanted to represent the passion the members of BSU have for fashion.

“I wanted to do something different,” Perkins said. “All of the things are very different and intricate, but they are all made by Eastern students.”

Perkins said the fashion show will open at 6 p.m. at the McAfee Gym, with the event starting at 7 p.m.

Perkins said tickets can be purchased at the ticket office in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union for $10 each. Perkins said tickets will also be available to purchase at the door.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will go to A Life of Virtue and Excellence, a youth organization in Charleston, Perkins said.

Perkins said the organization is also sponsored by local rotary organizations in Charleston and Mattoon.

The organization hosts workshops on Saturdays to promote academics and enhance self-esteem, Perkins said.

Perkins said the organization is important because it teaches participants how to be young adults.

The event will showcase the designs of 12 different designers and the modeling talents of 30 other individuals, Perkins said.

The theme came from the idea of dreaming of being a fashion designer, Perkins said. The theme represents what the designers would create if they were fashion designers.

Perkins said the show will also have different themes within the show, including an “I Have a Dream” theme that will showcase African fashion in a modern, high-fashion way.

Perkins said the event has been in progress since November when BSU had their first practice.

It was not until January when the planning became more extensive, Perkins said.

Perkins also said, oftentimes fashion shows focus on the theatrics of the event, rather than the fashion. She said she was excited to see the focus being put back into fashion.

“I’m most excited about it just staying within the groundwork of fashion,” Perkins said. “I’m proud of everyone coming together bringing it back to fashion.”

Perkins said this year’s fashion show will also feature three different runways that will be simultaneously running during the show.

“It’s just going to be a real epic, dramatic, fashion show,” Perkins said.

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or kjrichter@eiu.edu.