Students at Robert F. Smith STEAM Academy in Denver are preparing to take the runway for the **16th annual Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion Fashion Show and Fundraiser** on **February 22, 2024**. This unique event, organized in partnership with the nonprofit Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion, aims to foster creativity while teaching essential skills such as sewing, collaboration, and leadership.
The program encourages young people to express their individuality and build self-confidence. According to **Sheila Robinson-Butler**, a board member for Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion, “We want this to be a choice where they can build relationships, build careers, and thrive in being their authentic self.”
Among the excited participants is **Trez’surie Braxton**, a ninth grader with a deep passion for fashion. “I like exotic looks. I like something that will pop, something that’s different from others,” she said. Braxton draws inspiration from **Black culture** and aims to create outfits for well-known personalities in the future. She expressed her aspirations to attend fashion school in New York and emphasized that this will be her debut as a designer for a model.
**Fatimah Hernandez**, an eleventh grader, is also entering the world of design for the first time. “I am very excited to be one of the designers in this fashion show,” she noted. Hernandez credits her mother as her primary inspiration, saying, “I want to design stuff for her to wear and people in my culture to wear.” She appreciates the program for allowing her the freedom to innovate and create, stating, “It feels like freedom because I get to choose whatever I want.”
The Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion program mentors students for a duration of six to nine months, offering workshops that cover college readiness, financial literacy, etiquette, communication skills, and career development. As **Cheryl Carter**, the founder of Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion, explained, the fashion show is designed to build self-confidence and self-esteem. “We want them to find something that they can identify with, feel good with, and really shine,” Carter said.
This year’s fashion show will feature a segment called **SWAG** (Student Wearable Art Gear), where students will repurpose clothing into original designs. Robinson-Butler remarked on the impressive creativity displayed by the participants, noting, “What you saw today was a level of creativity that allows them to say, ‘This is what it was, now this is where we’re going.’”
While the Beautillion-Cotillion program primarily serves Black students, it is described as a multicultural initiative welcoming individuals from diverse backgrounds. Robinson-Butler emphasized the importance of inclusivity, stating, “It’s important because the world is diverse, and we are all unique.”
The fashion show will include segments that highlight cultural, military, and contemporary fashion influences. Tickets are available at the door or online through the Colorado Beautillion-Cotillion website, priced at **$10 for students**, **$20 for adults**, and **$30 for a VIP ticket** that includes a swag bag.
Organizers note that the event also serves as a fundraiser for the group’s formal student presentation and gala scheduled for later this year. This initiative not only showcases student talent but also emphasizes the importance of community support in fostering the next generation of leaders in the fashion industry.
