Unchained Fashion Show 2023

This year’s Unchained Fashion Show used the elements of earth, fire and water to represent the stages of a person working through and overcoming human trafficking.

Earth represents innocence; the time before a victim has been trafficked. Fire represents violence; This is when a victim is being actively trafficked. Water represents restoration; This is the period of recovery when a victim must overcome their struggles and start a new beginning.

The event took place on Sunday evening at the Ohio Union, and featured a variety of looks from three different designers along with booths from local non-profit organizations and words from two women who have overcome their own struggles with human trafficking.

The event was narrated by Michelle Upshaw using a script written by Kim Flynn, one of the event’s speakers and a survivor of human trafficking. The script led the audience through the three stages of human trafficking as the models walked the runway.

INNOCENCE

Model Marissa Mitchell wearing a pink floral dress designed by Destiny Howard. Photo Courtesy from Dave Toth

Innocence is the stage in a woman’s life before being trafficked. This is a stage of vulnerability and was represented on the runway by the element, Earth.

The looks for this portion of the show were designed by Designer Destiny Howard, a local designer who focuses on educating others about important issues, such as mental health, equality and self value, through her designs.

She said she decided to work with innocence because she found such beauty and inspiration in the Earth element and wanted to showcase that beauty in her work.

“To best represent innocence, I went with floral textiles and fabrics with movement,” said Howard. “I also went with a light color palette to highlight femininity and purity.

One of Howard’s designs was a baby blue, floor-length gown featuring a variety of floral details which Howard added by hand in order to create a look that represented purity and beauty.

Howard said she took such pride in the looks she created and was happy.

“It was an absolute delight to use my love for the arts to bring about awareness to such an important cause,” said Howard.

VIOLENCE

Model Joli Papillon walking down the runway in a red sequin dress designed by AK Couture. Photo Courtesy from Dave Toth

Armita Chehil and Kalpana Bisla of AK Couture created the bold looks used to represent the fire and betrayal a woman feels while being actively human trafficked.

“When I first found out our element would be fire I could almost instantly feel the emotions of the survivors of human trafficking,” said Chehil. “The energy, strength, courage, fearlessness, light and destruction they are all going through.”

Chehil and Bisla chose to represent these emotions by using deep purples, yellow, red and black.

One of the gowns was a floor-length black sequin dress with an element of orange fur around the bottom of the dress used to represent flames and ashes.

Chehil said this was AK Couture’s first time participating in Unchained and that they are so glad they decided to do it.

“Fashion is an amazing way to contribute to our society by allowing us to express ourselves, our creativity, our thoughts and our vision,” said Chehil. “It also reflects a version of yourself that you want the world to see.”

RESTORATION

Model Avani Bhalla wearing a flowing blue gown designed by Anjali Phougat. Photo Courtesy from Dave Toth.

Designer Anjali Phougat created the looks representing the restoration stage which was represented by water as a way to show a survivor washing away their past and starting a new beginning.

This was Phougat’s second year participating in the event and she said she would gladly do it all again to help with the cause.

“I’m really proud of these students for taking initiative,” Phougat said. “I’m so glad I got to be a part of it.”

Phougat said the event was important to her because of her 10-year-old daughter who became very curious about what human trafficking was after last year’s show.

“It is important to spread awareness of the cause, especially for those who have young children,” she said. “I am glad I was able to educate my daughter and others through my designs.”

She told me that fashion can be used to communicate a certain narrative to its audience.

“The emotions and story when it’s narrated and showcased helps the audience to connect visually and emotionally,” Phougat said. “We used many water elements such as seashells, pearls, blue lights, crystals, and liquid satin fabrics to translate the emotions into the clothing.”

"WE ARE UNCHAINED"

Proceeds from the event were given to She Has a Name, a local non-profit organization committed to strengthening the anti-human trafficking community in central Ohio, for the Strategies for Success Scholarship.

The scholarship is awarded to women who are survivors of human trafficking and are currently in a transitional period in their lives in order to provide these women with the stability and support they need.

Lauren Myers, a third-year social work major and one of the models for the event, said Unchained is important to her because of the message it shares with the community and to those who have struggled with human trafficking.

“Water can put out a fire,” Myers said. “I think that is an important message to share.”