The UK College of Agriculture brought culture to campus on Thursday when the Department of Retailing and Tourism hosted the Color Me Spring fashion show.

This event is held annually as a way to raise money for the department. The department brings together pieces from local vendors to show Kentucky fashion.

“Originally, we were only pulling pieces from local vendors. Then Dr. Kathy Jansen gave a generous donation of fabrics and garments that she collected in her travels, to use for educational purposes,” said Christina Barone, ticket sales director.

After receiving this donation from Jansen, who spoke at the event, they declared the theme of this year’s show “Going Global.” Jansen is known for her wide experience traveling, and she picked up different pieces wherever she went.

The show was a mix of global and local fashion. Many local boutiques donated to the show such as Bluetique, Peplum, Shop Local, Bella Rosa and more. There were also donations from bigger stores including Dillards, Black Market and Express.

The show, like many campus events, was cheaper for students to attend. The tickets ran for $10 for students and $30 for the general public. The event took place on campus at the Environment Science Good Barn where the doors opened at 6 p.m.

There was a cocktail hour until it was time for the fashion show. During the cocktail hour, there was an assortment of food and drinks for the guests to enjoy while they mingled before the show. This hour also included a silent auction. The auction included a variety of gift cards from barber shops, spas and more. There were many Shop Local Kentucky tees for auction. It also featured bags, baskets and other little gifts.

The event altogether is about 95 percent run by students. Dr. Scarlett Wesley had an independent study class of about 15 students in which each student was assigned to a certain aspect of the show. Instead of hiring models for the show, the directors took to the college looking for volunteers. Most of the models were students in the College of Agriculture.

Acting as the biggest fundraiser in the Department of Retailing and Tourism Management, the event was expected to make about $4,000 off of ticket sales and auction items. The department had already raised over half of that money by 6:30 p.m.

UK sororities were challenged to sell the most tickets, ultimately raising ticket sales and profit. Extra credit was also offered to the students within the Retailing and Tourism Management department for purchasing a ticket and attending the show.

The theme “Going Global” ties into the cause because this money will be used to fund scholarships for students in the Retailing and Tourism Management department. These scholarships are typically for studying abroad, interning abroad or experiential learning. These experiences were described as a great way to jump-start a student’s career.

Fashion Show Committee member Michelle Cornejo suggested that anyone interested in being involved with next year’s show should ask questions and visit the department’s Instagram  page.