Abigail Hebert

Last Saturday, Asian Students Alliance (ASA) transformed Smith Union’s Morrell Lounge into a runway for Bowdoin’s third annual Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Fashion Show. Members of the Vietnamese Students Association (VSA), Chinese Students Association (CHSA), Philippine Society of Bowdoin (PSBC), Korean Students Association (KSA), Japan Cultural Society (JCS), South Asian Students Association (SASA) and Central Asian and East European Students Association (CAEESA) modeled their cultural attire and performed dances. Cowboys, Bowdoin’s hip-hop dance club, also contributed performances.

The show was part of a series of events hosted by ASA and other affinity groups to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month at Bowdoin. Anna Tran ’26, co-president of ASA, explained the Alliance’s goals for the fashion show.

“We really wanted to emphasize and showcase that there are very beautiful and incredible, diverse distinctions between our different Asian cultures and to allow our cultural groups and anyone else who feels that they want to represent an aspect of their culture … to have that space to do so,” Tran said.

Resisting the narrative of Asian culture as a monolith, the fashion show spotlighted a variety of Asian cultures. VSA members performed a traditional Vietnamese fan dance choreographed to a contemporary music track and CHSA performed a Chinese ribbon dance. ASA co-president Juju Lee ’26 explains the rationale behind the fashion show as a vehicle for cultural expression.

“Music and clothing are pretty integral parts of culture, and I think it’s not necessarily a way that we’re able to showcase our culture in our daily lives. But this is really a platform for us to show that in a way that’s enjoyable for [everyone],” Lee said.

Lee also noted each group’s agency in how they chose to represent their culture, stressing that the event served not only to inform audience members but to empower its participants to celebrate their heritage.

“[We’re] not necessarily here to purposefully educate the community, but we are here to take up space and showcase what we want,” Lee said.

The fashion show was the result of months of planning and coordination between the affinity groups. Tran emphasized the hard work of each group’s leaders and members in preparing for the show, as well as their yearlong efforts to create a sense of community for students.

“I think that this fashion show [is] also in credit to all of [the affinity groups’] other hard work that they put into other events for AAPI Heritage Month at Bowdoin. It is a place to recognize their hard work,” Tran said.

While Bowdoin’s many cultural groups were instrumental in bringing the show to life, Lee underscored how ASA hoped to provide a space for all Asian students to share and celebrate their culture.

“We also opened up ASA as a place for individuals to come and also walk under ASA’s name if they don’t feel like completely aligned or not represented by the other individual affinity groups,” Lee said.

Reflecting on the night’s events, Tran applauded the work of all student leaders and groups involved and celebrated the show’s positive reception.

“I think the air in the room was truly dynamic…. I feel very emotional when I think about it because it’s incredible to see how this event has grown and how it’s really blossomed,” Tran said.