To Bronx Science junior Akunna Njoku, looking like her best self and showcasing her confidence is key. The sixteen-year-old has shown impressive creativity by stepping out of the ‘typical’ specialized high school student reputation and into a world of fashion. From walking runways to designing her own clothing, Njoku has wasted no time sharing her artistic abilities with an audience. In fact, Njoku is currently in the process of producing a student-run fashion show on school grounds for the first time in many years.

“I think it’s really important to have the arts alongside a more scientific and rigorous education, because the world is competitive and versatility and uniqueness are valued,” said Njoku.

“When I discovered fashion, I was around ten or eleven. I was exposed to a lot of fashionable cartoons such as ‘Winx Club,’ ‘Totally Spies’ and ‘Kim Possible,’ and I knew that I wanted to be just like them,” said Njoku, ’21. Her journey began right in the comfort of her own home. The natural surroundings of her childhood home, along with her father’s entrepreneurial career worked collaboratively to expose Njoku to a new atmosphere, encouraging her to pursue her passions. It began with her father who specialized in the import and export of goods. From his constant travels, her father was able to bring Njoku clothing from other countries, which first prompted her exposure to fashion and a love for idiosyncratic styles. Her passion has only grown stronger since, and she strives to push herself further to explore the many aspects of the fashion industry.

Being young and already having your mind set on a career path is no small feat, but Njoku has conquered it with style. She has walked several runways and modeled for numerous designers, letting the world know just how her confidence and talent can contribute greatness to the fashion industry as well as society. During this fall’s New York Fashion Week, she modeled for designers ‘Shop Tier One,’ ‘Links by Gwen,’ ‘Tiffany Brown Designs,’ ‘Ann Ong,’ ‘NIFFE’ and ‘Glamour Academia da Moda,’ among others.

“I think it’s really important to have the arts alongside a more scientific and rigorous education, because the world is competitive and versatility and uniqueness are valued,” said Njoku.

If Njoku’s impressive work outside of school were not enough to reveal her creativity, she, alongside other students, is currently organizing a fashion show at Bronx Science. She believes that this will push students out of their comfort zone and allow the student body to dip their feet into the waters of the arts, alongside academics. She pitched the idea in July of 2019, and the confirmation to create the team arrived on October 18th, 2019. Her team consists of models, model managers, designers, tailors, music managers, stage managers, publicists, makeup artists, and more. The team is ecstatic to get the show rolling, and has begun sketching original designs to bring to life. She anticipates creating thirteen to fifteen designs across four sets. Set 1 is the Drama Set, where the pieces will be theatrical, larger than life and highly dramatic. Set 2 is the Technology Set, where pieces will be highly futuristic in terms of fabrics and materials and will be heavily focused on robotic colors and themes. Set 3 is the Technology and Light Set. The pieces in this set will feature futuristic silhouettes with avant-garde cuts while foreshadowing the lights show. Finally, Set 4 is the Lights Show Set. The pieces in this set will be very casual, where normal meets street. Materials such as EL wire and LED light strips will be used to portray messages about the future and sustainability. As of now, she hopes to have the show on stage by late May of 2020.

The Fashion Show is truly an inspiring and impressive project. It goes to show that student life at a prestigious high school does not solely rely on academic achievement. “Something I always tell those outside the school is that although the school literally has science in its title, it is so much more than that. And the students are so much more than overstudious bookworms,” said Njoku. Seeing students encourage each other to prosper in the arts demonstrates the prodigious nature of Bronx Science.

“I’ve noticed that Bronx Science students have little to no experience with or exposure to fashion. Fashion is a form of self- expression, and if there’s one thing we complain about a lot, it’s not having many opportunities to express ourselves. The reason for this show is to do something iconic. But to get more in-depth, the purpose goes beyond that. Not only do we as a team hope to tell a story about our time by using fashion to illustrate a narrative, but we also hope to show the creative versatility of the students at Bronx Science,” said Njoku.

As much as Njoku would love to showcase her talents and abilities to the public, she equally values the need for her peers to be presented with the same opportunity. Not only is she passionate about sharing her love for fashion, but she prioritizes the arts alongside a scientific and rigorous education. In such a competitive environment, the ability to stand out will serve to help Njoku and others like her in their endeavors to bring new artistic visions to the forefront.