By Simran Gupta
Staff Writer
On Sunday, Feb. 28, the Wellness Ambassadors put on the “All Body Types Fashion Show” to promote awareness of eating disorders and to promote body positivity on campus.
Right before the show, the Simmons College Dance Company performed a dance choreographed by senior Olivia Carbone, to the song “Pretty Hurts” by Beyoncé. A fitting choice in lyrics and message, the performance set the tone well for the point of the show.
The Ambassadors strove to be objective when gathering applications for models in an attempt to make the show as unbiased and diverse as possible.
Katherine O’Reilly, a second-year nursing student, said that the Ambassadors picked models only according to the application they filled out.
“We made sure not to use pictures when picking models,” O’Reilly said, stressing that participants were chosen according to other personal qualities—a process different from the one many modeling agencies use today.
Indeed, the event brought out the diversity in beauty among the student body at Simmons College. All of the models gathered on stage at the end, a perfect moment for showcasing the various types of bodies that exist on campus.
The show was put on with support from Primark, who let students use clothes from the store to model. They put together their own outfits in the style that felt most comfortable to them, resulting in a wide range of fashion taste at the show as well, with a variety of prints, colors, and textures. Not only did the models get to keep their clothing, but Primark also donated multiple gift cards.
Angelica Maulucci, a second-year student who runs an Instagram page that celebrates “Fashion With Compassion,” was thanked and recognized for doing all of the styling and coordination for the models.
“We could not have put on the show without her,” the Ambassadors expressed in the program. Her page can be found by searching “a.lucci.style” on Instagram.
Along with a program, attendees received informational pamphlets on eating disorders, the link between eating disorders and sexual trauma, and a list of hotlines available. These included the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center, GLBTQ Domestic Violence Project, Trans Suicide Hotline, and various suicide prevention hotlines as well.
An accompanying eating disorder sheet listed the various (known) types and their characterizations, general facts, and things to know.
“Sexual trauma violates one’s boundaries so dramatically that the inner sensations of hunger, fatigue, or sexuality can become difficult to identify,” says the pamphlet on sexual trauma and the development of eating disorders.
Along with the pamphlets, a short dialogue session about body image and body positivity also ensued after the show, with questions such as “what can we do to change the media’s perception of the ideal body.”
As the models gathered on stage, one thing was clear: it was truly a night of unapologetic body positivity, acceptance, and celebration. The night truly embodied various quotes on the back of the brochure, which were statements from students about why the fashion show would be an empowering experience for them.
