Students Inspired to Dream Big at the ‘Spectrum of Fashion Gala’ Hosted By The Maryland Historical Society

The Maryland Historical Society hosted the ‘Spectrum of Fashion Gala’ on October 5th and Promise Heights secured ten additional tickets for Renaissance Academy students to attend the event.

“We used it as an attendance incentive,” said PromiseCorps member, Brandie Thomas-Cunningham. “It was important the kids got to see local designers. They could see the possibilities are limitless as long as they put their mind to it,” said Thomas-Cunningham.

Ms. Brandie, as she is known by her students, is part of our largest cohort of PromiseCorps members who conduct individual assessments for chronically absent students and plan school-wide events incentivizing attendance.

At the Spectrum of Fashion Gala students got to meet the fashion designers and models. The evening featured a stunning red carpet, special entertainment and performances, a fashion show, and concluded with a dance party. The students saw women’s skirts and men’s blazers, clothing and accessories, thousands of treasures, as well as decorative arts dating from the 18th to the 21st century.

“A lot of the kids we took are fashion forward so they had many opinions,” said Thomas-Cunningham. “We have Daquan who is interested in fashion. For him it was cool to see designers who came from the same area as him and to witness where they’ve gotten was inspiring for him.”

"Spectrum of Fashion" exhibition remains on display through October 2020 at the Maryland Historical Society. It is open to the public, and features pieces from the 1700s to today.