This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Northwestern chapter.
Name:Â Kristina Wang
Year: Junior
Major: Political Science + Psychology
Hometown: Hillsborough, California
Position/Role in UNITY: Co-President
Tell me everything we want to know about the UNITY Charity fashion show.
UNITY celebrates fashion, philanthropy, and diversity at Northwestern. Every year (this is our 7th!), UNITY showcases spring collections of Chicago boutiques & retailers on our runway, and we donate all proceeds from our show to a chosen charity. Everyone involved in the planning and production of the show comes from diverse cultural backgrounds, and every show features a cultural clothing segment.
What kind of planning went behind it? How many people are involved with putting it on?
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There’s really SO much that goes into planning our show, but just to name a few: securing the clothing for the show, designing the runway, sound, and lighting production, PR efforts throughout campus and Evanston, and finally, united fundraising efforts all throughout the year, leading up to the show. We have about 30 members who actively contribute to the planning process, and 24 models who have been training their runway walks for the past 2 months.
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What’s new about the show this year, and could you tell us about No Stigmas?
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This year’s show will be in the Grand Ballroom of the Hilton Orrington, unlike past years where it was held in the Norris Louis Room. Because the venue is fancier, we want to class up the event a bit and encourage all attendees to dress up! There will be a photobooth at the show, so definitely dress to impress!
No Stigmas is a Chicago-based, non-profit org that raises awareness about mental health issues and seeks to erase the stigmas of suicide and mental illness. At the beginning of the year, UNITY sent out a poll across its social media platforms, in which Northwestern students could vote for 1 of 3 charities they wanted UNITY’s proceeds to go to. No Stigmas won the poll with an overwhelming number of votes, and UNITY is excited to support a cause that is pertinent to our student body.
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Tell us an anecdote from this past year, or something interesting that happened while planning the show.
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Hmm.. there have definitely been a few embarrassing moments here and there – from tripping and falling flat on my face in the middle of Michigan Ave while doing clothing pickups, to lugging a clear garbage bag filled with neon pink and lime green stuffed dogs down Sheridan… (speaking of that, come to UNITY early for free goodies like VS PINK stuffed dogs & sunglasses!)
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How did you get involved with UNITY?Â
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I joined UNITY’s Clothing Committee in my freshman year. I was looking for a fashion-related organization to join on campus, and heard about UNITY from its ex-presidents (shout-out to Steph & Leo!)
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What are your thoughts on fashion, and how you would describe your own fashion sense. (Have you decided what to wear on Sunday?)
Not to be cliche, but fashion is definitely unique to the individual! Dress for yourself, and that confidence will make other people admire your fashion sense. I would describe my style as edgy, minimal, and black & grey during the fall/winter, but feminine and playful during the spring/summer. As for the show on Sunday, I’m still deciding between two dresses – but they’re both poppy red, to fit the Spring Gala theme of our show!
What else are you involved in on campus?
I was Vice President of TASC this past year, and I’m also in AAIV and Phi Alpha Delta.
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Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
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The next Anna Wintour.
Just kidding. I’ll probably be working in consulting or business development, but hopefully I’ll still be able to dress fashionably wherever I end up! Also, I have dreams of becoming a Michelin Food Critic, but who knows if that’ll actually happen…
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And a fun question: What was your favorite childhood cartoon and why?
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Definitely the Simpsons. It’s a classic!
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