The John Garrick Hardy Center ballroom was transformed into a living museum of style on Sept. 28 when “Black Excellence Never Fades,” a fashion show curated by creative director Jonathan “Cookie” Adams, took the stage.
Presented by BMW of Montgomery and hosted by the Office of Marketing and Strategic Communications and Institutional Advancement, the event merged fashion, music, theater, and historically Black College and University (HBCU) pride into an evening of cultural celebration at Alabama State University.
The program described the evening as more than a fashion show. Under Adams’ direction, each scene was presented as a curated meditation on Black excellence, unfolding across five immersive exhibits.
The exhibits moved the audience through five themed galleries, each capturing a different dimension of Black excellence. “Ancestral Architects: Stitched in Time” paid tribute to designers such as Ann Lowe and generations of seamstresses. “Bold, Brilliant, and Black” showcased precision tuxedos and bold statements in Black elegance, while “Creative Carrier: Fashioning the Culture” celebrated hip-hop style rooted in the Bronx and spread worldwide. “Culture Kingdom: Back to the Roots” drew on Afrofuturist silhouettes and traditional prints, and “Living Legacy” honored the vibrancy of Black stage performance infused with the spirit of HBCU culture.
Runway coaches Chentelle Sprouse, Orlando Provitt, and Je’Quan Gaston trained the models. Scene design was credited to Antowan Fleeton, Niaya Williams, Patricia Hardy, Dominique J. Lee, and Gaston, while styling contributions came from Derricius Chambers and others.
Students, both on stage and in the audience, said the experience highlighted more than fashion.
“I feel like it really highlighted everything that we stand for as Black people, especially during a time like this when we needed it,” Gabrielle Buster said, a junior political science major.
Joshua Brown, a sophomore biology pre-health major, attended his first show and said the night left a lasting impression.
“It really highlighted how Black excellence was on display, showing us that we must take care of Black queens because they are the first line of everything that we need to do,” Brown said. “I would come back to another one. I might even try to be in one.”
For performers, the runway was both a challenge and a triumph. Kennedy Billingsley, a junior dance major, joined the show after being asked by a friend.
“I had never performed on a runway before, so this was very different for me,” Billingsley said. “Even though I was nervous, everyone backstage was positive and made me feel comfortable. Cookie made everything very easy, and he never once made me feel like I was not supposed to be here.”
Students also expressed how the show motivated them beyond the runway. Tyler Wilson, a sophomore graphic design major, wore handmade crochet pieces from her personal line, Cherry’s Crochet Closet. She said the show inspired her to continue promoting her creativity and growing her brand as a student at the university.
Many in the audience were surprise to see President Quinton T. Ross Jr., Ed.D., on the runway, along with an unexpected appearances from faculty members, which drew loud cheers from the audience.
The show ended with applause as students, alumni, faculty, and community members celebrated a night dedicated to Black excellence at the university.
