About 100 students gathered at Jack Adams Hall to see models strut their stuff on the runway at the third annual fashion show put on by the Black Student Union (BSU).

The fashion show was one of seven events put on by the BSU in honor of Black History Month on Feb. 27 at around 7 p.m. The show featured various outfits from the Blak Specialty Gift Store on Ocean Avenue, which specializes in jewelry, clothing, books and other items relating to African and African American culture. The outfits - mostly traditional African or African inspired - ranged from casual daywear to business wear to formal evening wear. The women’s dresses were long and nearly seamless with vivid colors and distinct patterns. The men wore loose-fitting shirts with jeans, or pants, bearing similar patterns and colors to the women’s dresses.

“We have some beautiful kings and queens on the San Francisco State campus,” said Hazel Jay, an event coordinator, in reference to the models.

Rap music filled the hall while spectators began to fill the room and find their seats. As the rap music faded, the show began with the singing of the black national anthem. Following the anthem, was a poem by Jay about the problems facing African American communities. A Latin beat induced dance number was performed, and then the fashion show got underway. A group of percussionists provided an ambience of African rhythms while the models entered and exited the stage.

The 21 models – both male and female - were either freshmen or sophomores at SF State. The audience greeted the models with occasional cheers.

“That is so beautiful,” said Jasmine Vassar, a 20-year-old human resources freshman, commenting on a flowing green and gold dress worn by a female model.

This fashion show was the first at SF State in which the Blak Specialty Gift Store provided the wardrobe.

Marchelle Phillips, who runs the store with her husband, Marshall, said they started the store as a community place where people can go for the atmosphere as well as the merchandise. Phillips said she got the idea from a similar store in her native town of Brooklyn.

Phillips enjoys getting to know the different people who visit her store, and she said she likes talking with student shoppers from SF State and San Francisco City College.

“I’m glad that the young people come in,” she said. “We get to learn more about how they think.”

The show took a serious turn when Jay, a substitute teacher at a continuation school in the East Bay, spoke of the importance of community involvement for young African Americans. She emphasized the need for African American youth to work together to help their communities rather than fight with one other.

“It’s about our people,” Jay said. “We need to go back to our African roots.”