Even in soggy, late February snow, the National Society of Black Engineers fashion models… Even in soggy, late February snow, the National Society of Black Engineers fashion models are prepared for anything. Nothing says preparation quite like a ski jacket with a swimsuit underneath.

On Saturday night, NSBE held its fifth annual fashion show, titled “Fashion Remixes” to a full house in Bellefield Auditorium. The models displayed clothing donated from local retailers including Delia’s, Sneaker Villa, Jos. A Bank, and Hot Topic. NSBE secretary Zakiyyah Shaheed explained that the money from admission and the after party ticket sales will help NSBE members pay to attend the National Society of Black Engineers conference next year, which they attend every year.

“This year it is in California, so you can imagine how much we would have to pay if we didn’t do things like this,” Shaheed said. “The conference is a really good experience for our members,” she added, explaining that the conference included a job fair with technical and engineering opportunities for NSBE members.

Yewande Adeyemi, NSBE programs chair and fashion show coordinator, explained that in a very big year, the fashion show can raise about $5,000. Although the University covers part of the cost, NSBE helps to subsidize student costs for the trips through activities such as pizza sales and after parties admissions, though most of their outside funding comes from corporate sponsorships. In exchange for contributions, corporations come and meet with NSBE members to discuss career and internship opportunities and collect resumes.

“What we’re trying to do is have a good time while still learning something,” Ayedemi, said.

“Fashion Remixes” bordered on becoming a variety show as the students not only modeled clothes but intertwined dance performances and comedy sketches into their scenes as well. Models in the opening “School Daze,” which featured school outfits from Hot Topic, Rue 21, and Torrid, not only showed off their outfits through model walks, but by playing hopscotch, doing double dutch, and sleeping in the back of an onstage classroom. There was even a mock teacher-teacher tryst alone on stage, though still before the prying eyes of a hysterical audience.

“I don’t know about y’all,” master of ceremonies Penny Semaia said, “but I ain’t had no teachers like that at my school.”

Those wearing the least got the most applause, especially during the scene “Too Hot to Get Cold,” where models sported ski jackets and vests, only to strip them off and reveal bikini’s and swim trunks to Nelly’s “Hot in Here.”

“I ain’t hating,” Semaia said afterward, “just cause they got six packs and I drink them.”

The intermission featured an energetic performance by Black Dance Workshop to Justin Timberlake’s “Like I Love You,” which BDW President DaKiya Lambert said the group learned in a week for the fashion show. Dancers also performed during the scenes, particularly in “Nasty,” where girls clad in club outfits from Ms. Benn slinked up and down against apparently appreciative male models.

NSBE members started putting the show together as early as last November, and held an open casting call, where they taught potential models how to perform model walks. If models had wanted to dance, model Richelle Williams explained that they could audition for that as well.

“We didn’t turn very many people away,” Adeyemi said. “As long as you could walk, you were OK. We had participants from all parts of the University of Pittsburgh and from CMU too, and one person from the Art Institute.”

“The models worked really hard, giving up their weekends,” Semaia said, explaining that he was just called in to ad-lib and was impressed with the models’ efforts when he came to practices.

Besides having models audition, Shaheed talked about the planning as far as the budget of the event. “We try to keep it as low budget as possible so we can get the most out of it for our members,” Shaheed said. “A lot of the times the stores come out. They like it, it’s free advertising for them.”