By Peyton Schmidt–

The Student Activities Board will host the annual International Fashion Show on Jan. 27.

The fashion show is a feature event organized by SAB’s diversity committee. The diversity committee provides various programs and events for the student body in order to educate and celebrate topics of diversity and multiculturalism. The diversity committee’s mission is to encourage students to freely exchange respectful ideas and opinions in hopes to break down multicultural barriers that may separate them from one another.

The event features clothing from local boutiques as well as hand-made designs created by U of L students. Show participants have the opportunity to model and perform for hundreds of guests at the glitzy event.

“I loved it last year. I felt like I was on America’s Next Top Model,” Morgan Tallio, a participant in last year’s fashion show, said.

“I think this year is going to be even better, if that’s even possible,” Tallio said.

After a strenuous audition process, students were hand selected to participate in the highly anticipated show. Over 100 students are accepted to participate. Destinee Germany, chair of the Diversity Committee, holds several practices in preparation of the show in order to instill confidence within the models and performers.

Last year’s show sold out with over 800 attendees. According to Tallio, despite the pressure of the event, Germany, the models and performers are “all extremely supportive and encouraging of one another.”

Tallio loves participating in the show because she is exposed to other cultures and people she never would have had the chance to connect with otherwise.

This year’s theme is “A Worldwide Movement” with the promotional hashtag #WeAreTheWorld. Tallio wants audiences to expect to see exciting designs and performances that uniquely incorporate modern, social change movements like Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ in the show.

“I think it’s a great idea to be able to bring to light these different movements because it shows how supportive the U of L community is of one another,” Tallio said.

Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are priced at five dollars per student and $10 for community members and guests and can be purchased in the SAC. Ticket prices will increase to $15 at the doors.

File Photo/ The Louisville Cardinal