Evolution O.V.E.R.D.O.S.E.

"In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

~Martin Luther King Jr.

On Friday, February 26th, 2010, I attended the 4th annual Evolution O.V.E.R.D.O.S.E. (formerly Sensory Overload), presented by the Black Student Union of Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.  The event, held at Massachusett's College of Art"s Pozen Center, was a celebration of music, dance, and of course, fashion. 

The evening began with a pre-shower mixer that included a live band.  While guests were eating and mingling, artwork of notable African-Americans hung on the walls helping to remind us all of those who came before us to make this event possible.  Guests whose attire ranged from "college campus chic" to "I'm dressed for the after party", were then ushered into the main seating area to vie for one of the more desirable seats.  We were all then treated to a live vocal performance of the National Black Anthem by Soul4yoSystem.  After an introduction of Andrew Kuforiji who would be serving as our MC for the night, the show began.

Designer Sparkle Thames opened the show with her collection of swimwear and red, white and blue themed ready-to-wear. 

The collection was then followed by poetry which included "I Rise" by Maya Angelou while Michael Jackson's "What About Us" played in the background and a poetic explanation behind the meaning of Evolution O.V.E.R.D.O.S.E. 

After a ballet performance, designer Perpetual Anastasia was next with her collection of handmade jewelry.  With Maxwell's "Butterflies setting the tone, models hit the catwalk with black leotards and buttefly wings on their backs.  Unfortunately, this didn't play well in terms of letting you see the actual jewelry  The use of a larger screen that focused in on the jewelry as the models were walking would have made it easier for everyone to know that the collection was for jewelry and not for a repeat of black leotards in varying sizes and styles.

We were then given a history of R&B starting with Earth, Wind & Fire and including artists such as Alicia Keys and Angie Stone.  After a piano solo, a student from Berklee College sang "Redemption Song" which seems to have become the staple piece for shows in which proceeds are donated to Haitain Relief efforts.  There was a bit of confusion as to whether or not we were in intermission when a few minutes had gone by and there was no activity on the runway.  Guests had begun to make the usual run for the restrooms when our MC for the night appeared to introduce a guitar duet with songs inspired by Haiti. 

After intermission, designer Ty Scott opened his show with a model carrying a sign with the word "justice". The collection was well-received and was followed by a presentation on the History of Rap, which included a live rap performance followed by a step performance.

For the final designer of the night, the audience was wowed by an opening featuring a man voguing in a tutu.  His performance set the tone for the Prajje Couture collection, which appeared to be a crowd favorite.  Prajje's skill in selecting the right fabric and fabricating the right cut, is a formula that always adds up to a great collection that has everyone asking where they can purchase his clothing.  He is definitely on my list of designers to watch.

The show was a success as evidenced by the the filled to capacity seating that then became standing room only.  It is always nice to see people who are not only following their passions, but are coming together to help spotlight each other while sending a positive message that coming together and showing support for one another will always be more powerful than tearing each other down and not giving back.  The Evolution of the human spirit was on full display at this event and I look forward to attending the next one.

Sincerely,

Ebony

"Conquering the world, one stylish step at a time"