The NIU Fashion Industry Organization will present the “Elements of Style” designer showcase featuring both student designs and those of NIU alumnus, Wilson Harris III.

Joan Kinney, Human and Family Resources coordinator, has worked with the organization to present the second annual designer showcase to be held on Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Holmes Student Center Duke Ellington Ballroom.

The showcase will provide student members of the organization with a chance to display their own designs, and it will allow students to take notice of and learn from the achievements of an NIU alumnus.

Ron Laxamana, NIU student and model for the showcase, said, “This year the show is not at student level—Wilson Harris should bring an edge of professionalism.”

Laxamana said the show will be an improvement over last year.

William Southern, NIU cooperative education director, said, “Having an alumnus return to NIU is a fine idea so we (cooperative education) volunteered to fund a portion of it.”

Southern said the designer showcase has a few advantages. One advantage is the opportunity to appreciate the accomplishments of an alumnus, and another is to recognize the challenge and opportunity the human and family resource department has to offer, Southern said.

Kinney said the show will feature all types of clothing from the student participants, both male and female, and 245 garments of fairly contemporary style from Harris’ collection.

Kinney said although the student designs are primarily designed for women, the Harris portion of the show will have a good representation of designs for the male population.

This being Black History Month, some feel the return of Wilson Harris, a minority alumnus, to NIU has come at an opportune time.

Douglas Davis, special populations coordinator, said he believes the achievements of minorities need to be highlighted during Black History Month so people will notice the contributions blacks have made.

Southern said Harris being a minority is not the main issue, ut bit will make people aware that minorities at NIU do achieve.

Davis said the show might offset not only the negative publicity Black History Month has been receiving, but it also will bring an unmeasurable amount of incentive to students interested in the fashion industry.

Joni Ordonez, a showcase model, said it should be a fun experience to work in the show with an “up and coming” designer.