VERGE Magazine hosts night of fashion, Black culture
Rythm and Blues music floated through the Bovee University Center Friday night as a crowd gathered in Room 108 to learn about a key aspect of Black culture: Fashion.
The E-board for VERGE, a student-run fashion and editorial magazine at Central Michigan University, hosted an event titled “Fashioned by Black Culture” in relation to CMU’s Black History Month. VERGE’s E-board members convened audience members in the Center for Student Inclusion and Diversity for a presentation on the variety of ways that Black culture has influenced fashion over the years.
The members that led the presentation were:
- Morgan Hughley, VERGE’s personal relations representative
- Alayna Jones, VERGE’s co-editor-in-chief
- Melanie Do, VERGE’s movement and creative director
- Mariah Thompson, VERGE’s creative director.
Hughley said that being an organization composed of many people of color, she felt that it was time for VERGE to acknowledge those that have had such an influence on the looks and styles featured in the magazine.
“I think it's okay to want to dip your toe into different styles, but I think, just give acknowledgment and pay tribute to the people who paved the way,” Hughley said. “I think that's important.”
The presentation described influential periods in Black culture, such as African American roots, the Harlem Renaissance and the rise of hip-hop, as well as the styles that emerged through these periods.
The presenters also paid tribute to a variety of pivotal figures in Black fashion, such as Ann Lowe, the first Black high-fashion designer, Virgil Abloh, who brought streetwear to high-fashion, and Telfar Clemens, a pioneer of inclusive fashion.
Josephine Baker, Diana Ross, Naomi Campbell, ASAP Rocky and the Wu Tang Clan were also recognized as key influencers of the fashion industry.
Itzel Neri, a junior at CMU, said that she noticed a distinct connection between the cultural styles of Black and Latino people during the event.
“I really see that we intertwine with each other,” Neri said.
VERGE Eboard members Morgan Hughley (left) and Alayna Jones (right) present in the Center for Student Inclusion and Diversity on Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (CM-Life | Mia Kerner)
After commending the trailblazing androgynous styles of those such as Prince, Missy Elliot and Dennis Rodman, the E-board featured a video compilation of CMU students explaining what they associate with the term ‘ghetto fabulous.'
Many of the students’ answers included chunky gold jewelry, long nails and extravagant, bold, unapologetic fashion. The presentation explained that ghetto fabulous is a term that most commonly means mixing elegance with elements that reside in Black culture.
“I think that ghetto is a word that’s used against Black people a lot for setting trends that other people like to follow after,” CMU sophomore Chioma Asomugha said. “So, it’s kind of reclaiming that (word) back with ghetto fabulous.”
“We’re trendsetters, to be honest,” Neri added.
VERGE’s Eboard concluded the event with a game of Kahoot, quizzing the audience on the content of the presentation. The individual that placed first in the game won the opportunity to model for the magazine’s next issue.
The event prompted various lively discussions among the audience members, who enjoyed pizza and refreshments as the lull of R&B music crept back to full volume.
“We just want to make it known that we are an inclusive magazine for everybody,” Hugley said. “With everything going on with DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) lately, we just want to take our stance in that we are for DEI and that everyone who is a part of our organization and has been in our magazine, we stand with them and we acknowledge them."
"That's important at this campus, that we stand with what we believe in.”
