This was the scene Feb. 24 in the Emerson Suites as Ithaca College’s International Club hosted Interfashional Night. Held every year in the spring, Interfashional Night showcases clothing from around the world worn by students from their native country. This year’s Interfashional Night featured cultural attire from countries in Latin America, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. Several performances throughout the night also highlighted a variety of cultures, as some students sang in their native languages or performed traditional dances.

In addition to celebrating clothing from around the world, this year’s Interfashional Night  centered around sustainability and the protection of the environment. Senior Marcell Fischler, president of International Club, said the club wanted to stay true to its environmental theme by featuring clothing that was produced in a sustainable way.

“What we were really trying to do was get international students to pick clothing from their home countries that essentially was produced in a very sustainable way,” he said. “We were telling international students to, if possible, bring their clothing at the beginning of the semester rather than have it shipped over because that would be associated with additional costs also.”

The sustainability theme also encouraged many of the student models to reflect on how their country will be impacted by climate change, and what can be done to create a more sustainable future. Junior Agathe Loise-Balac, who performed a song in French, said France lags behind in adopting more sustainable practices.

“We’re not particularly good with all the recycling, and using bikes and [being] aware of the environment that much,” she said.

Senior June Ota represented Japan in the show by wearing a yukata, a Japanese garment similar to the kimono. Although Japan is an island nation, making it more susceptible to rising sea levels caused by climate change, Ota said she is hopeful in the country’s efforts to become more environmentally friendly for all people.

“I believe that Japan is the type of place to be able to sort of maneuver around everything,” she said. “That they would put all their efforts into trying to figure out ways to find a sustainable lifestyle I guess in the current situation.”

Students who attended the event were also exposed to the idea of Pan-Africanism: The intellectual movement intended to strengthen the bonds of people of African descent. Pan-Africanism was represented in the show through Malika Apparel, a clothing company founded by alumna Rita Bunatal ’15. The models sported Malika Apparel’s signature piece, a black shirt imprinted with a gold-colored fist of solidarity.

With a focus on environmental protection, the International Club did not shy away from politics, acknowledging the intrinsic connection between the health of the environment and the very policies that impact how companies handle the Earth’s resources. The dire effects of climate change were not lost on the club, the models or the audience, particularly at a time when the President of the United States could potentially exacerbate the effects of climate change through anti-environmental policies.

At the end of the show, Fischler also noted the steps the college has taken to protect international students in the wake of President Donald Trump’s executive orders that could potentially bar many from entering the U.S. One of these actions is a bill recently passed by the Student Governance Council that allows international students to stay on campus over the summer.

“I am so thankful for Ithaca College because it has supported international students a lot so far,” Fischler said. “And I’m hoping that in the future that will continue to be the case.”

From a night celebrating international fashion and the sustainability of the planet, Loise-Balac said she hopes people recognize that internationalism is open to all students, and not just those from outside the U.S.

“No one really asks questions on an everyday basis on what your country is like, what religion is the one that is practiced the most, what’s happening with all the politics,” she said.

Being able to gather people through the idea of fashion and the performances — I think that that is a good idea.”