On Sunday, April 18, the newly formed Binghamton University Business Fashion Society (BUBFS) hosted their first in-person event, the “Micro Fashion Show” featuring styles from Brooks Running’s RUN HAPPY clothing line, which is carried by local chain business Confluence Running in Johnson City. The event was held in the University Union and drew some socially distanced onlookers. At the entrance to the room, guests were offered a bottle of water and encouraged to purchase a sleek black mask with the group’s logo to fundraise for the club’s future ventures. Guests were then guided to sit at desks arranged in a wide U-shape that composed the makeshift runway. An energetic pop track acted as an audio backdrop for chatting amongst the guests waiting eagerly for the show to begin.

The show kicked off with a brief introduction from Rene Vorilas, co-founder and president of BUBFS and a senior majoring in business administration, in which she discussed the beginnings of the club and their subsequent partnership with Confluence Running for the project. Upon completion, she turned up the music to cue the student models, who were hidden behind a curtain in the front corner of the room. The first to emerge was a student wearing the Brooks Running Stealth Singlet paired with the Sherpa 5” Short. He paused to flex his arms in a pose for Confluence Running’s photographer before continuing down the runway in a confident stride. The next student showcased the Dare Crossback Run Bra with an energetic strut around the desk formation before disappearing back behind the curtain and cueing a model who wore the Further Tank and Greenlight Capri. The last model to make their rounds wore the Drive Mesh Run Bra, Method 5” Short Tight and the Canopy Jacket, which provided a significant “wow” factor as she whipped the lightweight fabric out of a built-in backpack.

The last outfit alone retails for an impressive $219, and not without good reason. Buyers are paying for the comfort of Brooks Running’s patented DriLayer fabric and the comfort of knowing the clothes are made sustainably, as the brand exclusively uses recycled fabrics said to be “equal to five post-consumer plastic water bottles.” In a speech that would close out the show, Matthew Gawors, owner of Confluence Running, elaborated on the company’s mission.

“At Confluence Running we’re a retail specialty store that helps and gives expertise for all athleticism in terms of apparel and footwear, and tries to help people in terms of injury prevention and healthier lifestyles,” Gawors said. “We’re there to improve the health of our community.”

The “Micro Fashion Show” was the second event to take place during BU’s “fashion week,” with the first being socially distanced yoga hosted by Confluence Running that morning. Some other fashion week events include shows with the Goldsmith and the on-campus startup Public Ivy and virtual speaker events with Alexander McQueen and representatives from Nike and Fashion Illustrator.

After the show, Vorilas revealed that the BUBFS was recently approved by the Student Association (SA) and described the startup process.

“I, along with one of my good friends decided to start the [BUBFS],” Vorilas said. “It’s been a crazy whirlwind. We just got SA-approved recently so thankfully we can even book in-person events now which has been a blast”

For those looking to get involved with the BUBFS or attend future events, Vorilas suggested that students find them on B-Engaged or follow their Instagram, @bufashionsociety.