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• Impacto: the Latino/a Fashion Show

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Christina Kurowski, a senior in political science, practices for the annual Latino/a Fashion Show. (Sam Mullineaux, Buzz photographer)

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“The whole point of a fashion show is to use your imagination,” said Maldonado. “If I saw a cardigan that I think my mother would wear, I would pair it up with shorts or tube tops or something crazy.” —Meagan Maldonado

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The models line up and make their way across the room with power and grace. The sound of clicking heels echoes across the hardwood floor to the beat of Akon’s “The Way She Moves.”

Strut, stop, strike a pose, do a little turn and walk it back.

OK, again.

These practices have taken place every Monday and Wednesday since the second week of September to prepare for this year’s Latino/a Fashion Show. Male and female student models practice for about two hours each practice to get the routines down in time for the show.

The Latino/a Fashion Show “Impacto” will take place Saturday at the Illini Union, and this year, the show is run by Maria Nichole Ocasio who was appointed this past spring as committee chair for Latino Programs of the Illini Union Board.

“Since then, I’ve been coming up with themes for the show, vendors we want to use, lighting and different concepts,” Ocasio said.

Ocasio and the fashion show committee named the show “Impacto” to send a message across cultures.

“We were trying to think of one strong word that would get a message across that was Spanish but that was not hard to figure out if you were not a Spanish speaker,” she said.

The committee has also decided to change up the show by only playing Spanish music throughout the different scenes. The models will strut their stuff to everything from salsa, merengue and bachata to bomba, plena, tango and samba.

Another difference from previous shows is the addition of a swimwear scene to replace lingerie, which Ocasio said is a move to make the show family-friendly. Other scenes include casual wear, nightlife, formal, business and the final scene, an exhibition of clothing creations by student Meagan Maldonado.

As part of the committee, Maldonado has not only picked out music and clothes for other scenes but has worked on designs and created outfits for the final scene as well.

“The look I am going for is very funky urban,” said Maldonado. “Everything is kind of mismatched. It’s a preppy punk look with lots of chains, buttons, ripped up fabrics, spray paint and colored glue. It’s going to be really cool.”

Maldonado said she wanted to create something edgy and fitting for a fashion show with fun, colorful pieces that you wouldn’t see everyday.

“The whole point of a fashion show is to use your imagination,” said Maldonado. “If I saw a cardigan that I think my mother would wear, I would pair it up with shorts or tube tops or something crazy.”

Ocasio said Maldonado took items like leggings or jeans then cut them up, added patches, threw on fabric paint and did plenty of sewing. Ocasio is modeling in the final scene wearing one of Maldonado’s designs.

“I’m coming out in something like a tutu and a crop top,” Ocasio said.

The models will also wear clothes from local stores and boutiques including General Eccentric, Exhibit and Urban Behavior.

The models and the committee have been practicing every day this week to prepare for the show. Ocasio said the models have been great with showing up to practices all semester and bringing creative energy. With all the time and work put into the show, Ocasio hopes to set this show apart from the previous years.

“We want to make an impact, showing Latino culture through something other than just a cultural scene to make it Latino Fashion Show,” Ocasio said. “We want it to be a complete Latino experience.”