Nobody does it like the Mecca (H-U, you know).
Howard students have always been known putting on for the culture, and this April, eos handed twelve of them a runway to prove it.
eos was at Howard University’s Spring Fest for five days this April, and the centerpiece was a fashion show on the 15th where twelve Howard student designers showed original collections built around the brand’s fragrance mist line. Each designer interpreted a different scent through clothing they made themselves, and attendees left with a full-size fragrance mist.
The brief was to use scent as a design material, which is not a typical starting point for a fashion collection. “Eos is doing something powerful by giving students this kind of platform,” said Nigel Johnson, who co-headed styling and is a junior studying advertising. “They’re not just showcasing emerging designers, they’re amplifying our ideas and giving us freedom to experiment. That kind of support is rare.”
Several of the looks were made from upcycled fabric, a choice driven by the designers themselves, not the brand. “Working with eos was a great experience that allowed me to shine as a creative,” said Minnesota Cook, a sophomore in the advertising program who co-headed styling alongside Johnson.
The intermission featured rapper Monaleo and reality personality Serena Page, both in student-designed looks, and the casting felt intentional. “Bringing that to Howard, where there are so many different black cultures and perspectives, made the experience even more impactful and an important part of my journey as a producer,” said Kaitlyn “KD” Dorsey, the show’s head of production and a theater technology junior.
On April 17, eos moved to the yard with a “Recharge Station” pop-up that ran from noon to 3 PM. Ice cream carts matched to scents like Vanilla Cashmere, Strawberry Dream, and Crème de Pistachio pulled students in, while others sampled the brand’s lotions and lip butters throughout the afternoon.
It wasn’t eos’ first time on an HBCU campus, but at Howard, the focus felt clear: putting student creatives front and center after reaching thousands of students through previous campus stops.
Last fall eos ran a five-school Holiday Express Campus Tour that included Winston-Salem State University, reaching over 5,000 students across George Washington, UNC Chapel Hill, Virginia Commonwealth, and Rutgers, with free samples, custom hot cocoa and coffee, and a prize wheel run through social. Spring Fest at Howard was the follow-up.
