On Nov. 15, FUISA hosted their annual CLP event to celebrate cultural diversity. The fashion show took place in the Daniel Recital Hall and showcased a variety of Furman’s international student home countries, as members of FUISA dressed in clothing either from their own or somebody else’s country. From traditional attire to modern streetwear, audience members got a taste of all styles of clothing and, beyond that, a taste of different cultures. Each outfit featured much more than fun designs and silhouettes — they were physical representations of self-expression, culture, and identity!

Dr. Lisa Knight, Chair of Asian Studies, introduced FUISA by representing the country of Bangladesh. She wore a green and red kurta, a traditional piece of clothing in Bangladesh. The clothing’s colors were also of particular importance, as they represented the colors of the Bangladesh flag. Per Dr. Knight, the green is meant to capture the beautifully green lushness of the terrain and the red is the blood from the fight for independence from West Pakistan.

After Dr. Knight’s beautiful presentation, the following countries were represented at the event: Mexico, Korea, Scotland, Japan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Fiji, China, Greece, Colombia, Nepal, Iraq, Sweden, and India.

There were more than just beautiful outfits at the event – the audience got a show as well! All countries put on a thoughtful dance that was representative of their country. It was an immersive and joyful experience that put a smile on the faces of everyone in the room — you could feel the energy bouncing off the walls! After all, the event was all about uplifting different cultures and celebrating what makes us different. It was an experience you definitely didn’t want to miss, but if you did, no worries! FUISA hosts this event every year, so put it on your calendar for next November.

Below, I have highlighted several of my favorite countries featured:

Korea: Hanbok is the traditional Korean clothing, and a special feature of women’s hanbok, is a slim top and a wide bottom cut in a bell shape. Modern Korean clothing, however, is greatly influenced by K-pop stars like BTS and Blackpink. This type of style includes vibrant colors with unique jewelry and accessories. There seems to be a big logo trend as well! Both female models wore a white top with black skirts. To bring the look together, they wore trendy jackets as their outer layer. One model wore a fitted black jacket with yellow flowers and the other model wore a more oversized and sleeker jacket. It was a fun performance as they danced to a popular BTS song. 

Scotland: Scottish men wear a skirt-like garment called a kilt. The colors and patterns on a kilt, called tartan, are of particular importance as they signify which family or clan a person is part of. This same pattern is also found on a small flag, called a cover flash, that goes on the top of a person's clothes or stockings. Scottish people also wear expensive shoes called ghillies as well as a small satchel called a saran around the waist. A saran is typically made from cow or sheep leather, but sometimes it is made from rabbit. The saran is essentially their version of a man purse, and it’s not uncommon to find food or whiskey in there! One model for Scotland wore a black button-down shirt, a red and black kilt, a black saran, and black ghillies with high socks. The other male model also wore a black button-down shirt accompanied with a yellow and green kilt. Both men brought great character to the stage and even incorporated intricate footwork!

India: In India, men typically wear kurtas paired with loose-fitting pants. Women typically wear saris which can be worn both in everyday settings and for holidays such as weddings or Diwali. All models representing India dressed in beautifully colored and intricate pieces. It was a colorful explosion on stage! The colors of the kurtas worn by the male models included red, green, and blue, whereas the one female model wore a glistening blue dress with elaborate embroidery. Their performance was both lively and well put together! To everyone who performed in the FUISA fashion show -- bravo!