Led by Belgian model Elise Crombez and RHI youth jobs developer and event organizer Sheryl Nash-Chisholm, a much-anticipated fashion show for youth came to Red Hook for the very first time.
This was the fifth annual Red Hook Today event hosted by Red Hook Labs (133 Imlay Street). In addition to the fashion show there was photography and video on display.
The exhibition is a showcase for students’ work. Participants include the Red Hook Initiative, Summit Academy, Red Hook Community Justice Center and South Brooklyn Community High School.
The doors of Red Hook Labs, which is right on the waterfront, opened at 5 pm and the event went until 7:30. The photography that was displayed across three of the walls at Red Hook Labs reflected the lives of the youth and allowed them to tell a story based on a theme they chose.
Framed photos sold for $150 and unframed ones were $100 with all proceeds going to the artists.
“They are learning how to take pictures,” Nash-Chisholm said. “As you can see, the artwork is astronomical. This is something that our kids can take with them.”
Red Hook Today’s first fashion show was titled “Primavera on the Waterfront” and included 20 high school and college aged models who made the cut to be in RHI’s program to learn how to be in a fashion show. Two colleges represented were LIU and Brooklyn College.
Red Hook Labs was packed with students from Summit Academy, teachers, Community Justice Center staff and community members surrounding the runway. Community Board 6 District Manager Mike Racioppo and Karen Broughton, Felix Ortiz’s Chief of Staff, were also in attendance.
The show started at 5:30 and went for about 15 minutes. There was a red runway for the models to walk down and all the guests were seated on either side. They walked out and back from a primavera themed backdrop with music playing the whole time.
Red Hook Labs wanted to add a little more to their end of year showcase so they brought in Crombez to help the young aspiring models learn how to walk the runway.
“I have done fashion shows while being part of the crew, but actually seeing it and putting it together, I think it was magnificent because as you can see it was packed,” Nash Chisholm, who was wearing a Red Hook shirt, said. People were supporting what we do in Red Hook. They have gained so much knowledge on different things in their life.”
Elijah Villanueva was one of the models in the fashion show and he very much enjoyed the experience. They practiced two times a week for about a month at RHI leading up to the show.
“Everyone was really friendly and supportive of me and of everyone there,” Villanueva said. “This is something that I had wanted to do for a while, and to actually do it with friendly people was a really good experience.”
Villanueva, who lives in Queens, found out about this model training program from a friend of his in school and was interested in coming. He added that Red Hook seems like a good area.
Villanueva, who wants to continue to model in the future, liked how compassionate Crombez was.
“She was really funny,” Villanueva said. “I enjoyed working with her. She was supportive of us all. I was extremely nervous but then she gave us a pep talk and we went for it.”
Starr Buell Crowe also enjoyed this experience, but unlike Villanueva, she had done a fashion show before Red Hook Today. She thought that Crombez was awesome and liked learning from her during this program.
“This experience was really cool because everyone was high energy, nobody was mean and everyone was accepting,” Buell Crowe said. “The high energy was fun to be around.”
She attends Brooklyn Heights School for the Arts and her friend from that school told her about this program at RHI. Buell Crowe, who wants to model in the future, came to the auditions and got a call back.
Nash Chisholm envisions many of the 20 models continuing this pursuit in the future. She sees this as a positive experience for all involved.
“They have more confidence now,” Nash Chisholm said. “Once you do that runway in front of a crowd you can’t stop. This builds confidence in life. It is something you should do in the course of growing up.”
The stylists for the show were also models during the event. Andy was one stylist who opened up the show and Jelissa was the finale. According to the organizer, Andy and Jelissa were given money to go shopping and then purchased clothes for everyone to wear.
DJ Pusha and Bascom Catering & Events have both been providing music and food for Red Hook Today for all five years it has happened. They are both based in the Bronx, and Bascom Catering & Events came because of their connection with Michael Glazebrook, who is one of the sponsors of the event.
