Halloween marks the one week a year when people can dress up however they please, from the characters they love to the animals of nature. For many, the holiday becomes one of the biggest outlets for creativity. Costumes act as a full-body work of art, with headpieces, makeup, and the outfit itself coalescing into one final piece.
On Oct. 30, 2025, the Beauty In Distress organization partnered with Rowan After Hours (RAH) to present the RAHloween: Strut After Hours Event at the Student Chamberlain Center Pit. Tapping into the Halloween spirit, the event showcased collections influenced by Halloween, from bunny masks to elf ears, and even dog purses.
The event teamed up with local designers like XTZ Angels, RB Creations, Outer World Clothing, Muse Appeal, and Paige Berthe for its runways. With a variety of aesthetics ranging from cutesy to spooky, the event strove to capture all types of Halloween spirit.
“Beauty in Distress (BID) is a place for aspiring designers, artists, and entrepreneurs to hone in on their skills to develop their techniques and portfolios. We as a family will collaborate with other artists, create bonds with the surrounding community, and work together to enhance our capabilities,” said the organization on its ProfLink page.
Beyond the looks presented on stage, the organization wanted to spotlight the creativity of Rowan students and local communities. They wanted to provide something deeper to the audience, as well as those who helped create the event.
“What I hope this event accomplishes is creating a safe, welcoming space where people can express themselves freely and feel confident in who they are. Beauty In Distress is all about celebrating individuality, creativity, and self-love, and I wanted that to shine through in this show. When planning the event, my goal was to give our members, models, and audience an unforgettable experience that went beyond fashion,” said James Lee, the president of Beauty In Distress. “This was something that would inspire them to embrace their uniqueness and feel proud of it. I wanted everyone who attended to leave feeling seen, empowered, and part of a community that truly supports them.”
The organization wanted all attendees to leave the event feeling better than when they had entered. On the runway, the models strutted with confidence head-to-toe as audience members cheered, with reactions growing louder as the models connected with the audience without even saying a word.
“My favorite part of the event was seeing everything come together, watching the models walk the runway with confidence, hearing the crowd cheer, and realizing how much hard work from everyone paid off,” said Lee. “It was such a proud moment to see our vision come to life and to know that we created a space where people could express themselves freely. When I look back on this event, I’ll be thinking about the energy in the room, how supportive, positive, and uplifting it felt. It reminded me why we do what we do at Beauty In Distress, to bring people together through creativity, fashion, and community.”
With costume contests and live performances serving as the intermission between collections, the organization made it a priority to showcase a diverse range of Rowan creativity. Students filled up the Student Chamberlain Center Pit in costumes spanning from Superman, Drake and Josh, and Men in Black.
The Beauty In Distress organization united students through the creativity presented on stage, creating a sense of community that the organizers of the event never could have anticipated. With its central goals revolving around giving unforgettable fashion experiences to the campus community, the Beauty in Distress organization made this happen for students with a Halloween twist.
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