Each year in April, current and past Nittany Lions congregate in Happy Valley for Blue and White Weekend. This weekend is filled with events from the Blue and White football game, to bar tours and other activities that welcome the warmer weather returning to State College. This weekend is no stranger to fashion, as the National Association of Black Accountants (NABA) Fashion Show is held annually during this huge weekend to demonstrate that Penn State students not only have the brains, but they also have serious style.
Name: Lerell Richards
Role: Fashion show coordinator
CollegeFashionista: What inspired you to take on the task of coordinating the NABA Fashion Show?
Lerell Richards: This will be my third year doing the show. I am really into fashion and I’m always interested in picking up leadership opportunities, so this role fit. My role in the fashion show continued to go higher and now I’m in charge.
CF: What is the theme for this year’s show and how does your team innovate such elaborate themes for the show every year?
LR: This year’s theme is The Hunger Games. Each scene of the fashion show represents a different district, and we tweaked the districts from the movie to be more fashion-forward, based on the designers we picked. They are Luxury, Electricity, Insanity and Nature.
CF: Do you have any favorite designers?
LR: The Balmain collection is one of my favorites because of its use of color-blocking, different shapes and materials. I am also a big Kanye West fan, so his collection is definitely one of my favorites too.
CF: How do you find designers for the NABA Fashion Show?
LR: We try to stay close to the university, so we always look at D.C. Fashion Week and Philadelphia Fashion Week for designers that stand out. Designers from those shows are designers that we reach out to for the NABA Fashion Show.
Learn More: The eighth annual NABA Fashion Show was held on April 18, 2015. The surprise celebrity host was R&B artist and television personality, Ray J. The show has become a favorite tradition for Penn State students to come out, come together and celebrate rad style. Want to plan ahead for what to wear next year? Take inspiration from this year’s looks with feminine full skirts, sporty sheer tops or classic color-blocking.
