If you’re a new student at Tufts, whether a freshman or a transfer, by second semester, you probably think you have this school pegged. You know the types of students that attend Tufts (active citizens, politically-minded, think globally) and you know the types of things we participate in (EPIIC, intellectual media groups, and clubs devoted to social change).
However, there are still a few things about our University that might surprise you. Did you know that one of the most profitable fundraisers on Campus is actually a fashion show? Despite the fact that the majority of Tufts students are seemingly indifferent to style, it doesn’t stop them from going out every year to attend one of the most exciting charity events on campus – the LUX fashion show, which raises money for the China Care foundation.
Senior “Yen” Alexis Yuen, a Hong Kong native, founded LUX her freshman year, and since then it has enjoyed immense growth and improvement with each subsequent performance.
Her Campus sat down to talk with Yen about the upcoming show in April, as well as with Jessica Zhang, the president of China Care and this year’s producer of LUX.
(Left, Jessica Zhang; Right, Yen Yuen – Photo by Dilys Ong)
What is China Care?
Tufts China Care is an independent, student run club working together to improve the lives of sick and handicapped orphans living in the China Care Home and Half the Sky’s orphanages, located in Beijing. China Care Foundation started 10 years ago, now has chapters in 50 Universities and High Schools all over the US. The mission of the China Care Foundation is to give special-needs, Chinese orphans the opportunity for a better life and to empower youth through direct humanitarian service. – Tufts China Care raises money for surgeries but is also dedicated to spread awareness. – Jessica
How does it work?
On the China Care website, there is a list of children in various conditions that needs help, each with an estimated cost. When we set the goal of each year’s fashion show we try to match it with the cost of surgeries and immediacy of the surgeries. Then we communicate with the China Care Coordinator and apply for surgeries we hope to sponsor. Proceeds from ticket and raffle sales goes directly towards the surgery. For the 2008 and 2009 shows, we have fully sponsored children with club foot and cleft palate ($1,100 and $1,300), and Lux’10 raised 4,400 for two children with heart defects (one is partially sponsored). After the surgeries, we received a donor report from the China Care foundation about the condition of the child we funded and how her health had improved. This year we might sponsor a heart surgery again. – Jessica
What made you start LUX and get involved in China Care?
“I’m from China, so I really care about the cause, and it’s a good way to do something fun and help the children.” – Jessica
“When I wanted to do a fashion show, Angela Lam was looking for a fundraising event to raise money for Chinacare. We were both in Tisch college together and we decided to cooperate and work on this together. “ – Yen
What are your roles in this event and in China Care?
Jessica is the producer and the president of China Care. I (Yen) started it when I was a freshmen and now I’m training people to do it that are younger to take my place. Jessica was a co-director last year, and a model and planning committee member two years ago, and I’m a model this year. My other roles include Board Adviser and Photographer.
The producer is typically the linkage between China Care and Lux. Then there are directors who are not necessarily from China Care. Under that we have the subcommittees that are from China Care and call sponsors and usher. They are divided into a promotion committee and a sponsorship committee.
What made you decide to do a fashion show?
It’s a very non-Tufts thing to do…to have a fashion show. I thought about going to fashion school, but I decided to come to Tufts for the active citizenship. I’m in the Combined Degree Program with the Museum School, but I didn’t find a way for me to contribute to the Tufts community since everything was very political. I do care about those things, but I also know there are people like me who are looking for a more artsy way to help. [A fashion show] targets a group that’s not catered to at Tufts.
Who will be sponsoring this year’s fashion show?
– BCBG Max Azria, Marc Jacobs, Alo, Soodee, and Cotelac. The last three are boutiques in the area. Most recently, we’ve added Froshnob to our sponsor list.
Marc Jacobs has been sponsoring you since you first started. How did you get their sponsorship?
– I just called the Marc Jacobs corporation, asked for the PR department, gave them a pitch, and they said yes in like two minutes, and have been sponsoring us since my freshman year. We’ve kept a really good relationship. I show them the models pictures beforehand and keep the clothing clean.
Will you still have student designers this year?
– We will have student designers this year. A lot of people applied and we just want to make sure that we pick items that go well with the rest of the show. One of the student designers who might work with us also had her pieces in Boston fashion week.
What is your model selection process?
– The number of applicants doubled this year. 80 came but we could only choose 30. We try to bring together the campus, not just cast Asian Americans, but cast models that can be our spokesperson in different campus groups. We look for campus involvement because then more people from other groups end up coming. It’s our best marketing tool.
– At least half the models came back this year. They all tell us how much they like it. One model, Alec Schilling, told us she saw the first show as a pre-frosh and it was one of the reasons she picked Tufts. She saw a lot of colleges that were all kind of like Tufts, but nothing quite as different as this.
– There are many pretty girls in our show. You don’t even see that many walking around Tufts. They come out of hiding. The boys too.
– It’s always a really cool group of people. They all come to the show, they all go to the rehearsals. We really try to educate the models about the facts and goal behind China Care and we encourage them to tell their friends about the show and the cause. They all become really invested.
How much would you say the models end up rehearsing?
There are 5-6 rehearsals, each one is 2 ½ hours. [They include] a lot of choreography, a lot of dancing, fittings, and walk practicing.
How much did you raise last year and how much do you expect to raise this year?
We raised $4400, enough to cover one orphan [heart surgery] and to partially cover another one. We expect to raise enough to cover two orphans this year. We would like to raise $6600.
You just had a party last weekend to raise money where the models were supposed to dress up and hang out with the guests. How did it go?
We raised $300 in two hours. It was $1 to enter. We had the models mingle with the guests, all 32 models came, and reminded people to come to the show and let them know what was going on. Everyone dressed really nicely. It was at one of the director’s house.
How else do you raise awareness?
We do flash walks at Dewick and the Campus Center and the Library. Doing a catwalk at Dewick – that was really embarrassing for [the models] but it was a really good tool. When we asked how people knew about the show, they said from Dewick dining hall.
Also , we work a lot with social media sites like Facebook. We actually got an email from them saying to stop harassing people because it was showing up too often under Tufts. They thought it was spam. I think that goes to show it’s really getting around.
What is your Mission Statement?
We don’t have a mission statement yet, it’s so very new and still developing, we just want to keep being really non-exclusive. We want everyone to be able to participate. That’s why [the show] is becoming more theatrical, people tell us what talent they have and we try to incorporate it into the show. We try to get anyone on campus involved. I guess it would be to provide a new way to be an active citizen on campus. At Tufts, it is kind of limiting. There are so many artsy kids who like fashion or music that want to help. I think that by being one of the most profitable fundraisers on campus and bringing different circles together, LUX proves that there is more than one way to create social change.
How will LUX be different this year? What improvements or changes have been made?
– I watch a lot of Victoria’s Secret fashion shows where the music is key so last year we had a live DJ. We haven’t confirmed anyone yet, but there will definitely be a live performer that will walk with the models this year.
– We want to have a photoshoot and a pre-walk event on the library roof when it gets warmer
– There will be even more dancing this year. We make sure the models can dance when we choose them.
– We still have a live DJ this year. It’s going to get more and more theatrical each year I think. This year, well have a magician. Marcel Babai, he teaches a magician class in the ex-college.
– The stage design is going to get crazier this year. We’re going to do some more with the back drop.
The fashion show is in April. How do you plan on raising awareness before then?
We’ll be having another promo party and a series of events in March. We’re also making a trailer with the models.
Do you think you’ll come back next year to see it?
Yeah definitely. It’s my baby.
Event Information:
Date: April 14th, 2011, 9 PM
Location: Cohen Auditorium
Ticket without raffle: $8
Ticket + 5 raffle tickets: $10
$1 per raffle ticket
Last but not least, Yen and Jessica could not stop telling us about the immense gratitude and appreciation they have for all the models and students involved in LUX.
“I really want to thank all of the people who have supported us in the past 3.5 years, especially models and volunteers who were so understanding and cooperative during Lux’s early years. Lux would not have grown so quickly without their help.” – Yen
They all sound like amazing people. We can’t wait to see them in the show come April! Keep posted on the event here: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=179214765447108
Photo Credits:
Yen and model – Dilys Ong
Model on runway – Richard Peng
LUX sign and DJ – Richard Peng