Business students mix entrepreneurship and fashion to host KU Fashion Week in Capitol Federal Hall
KU’s Fashion Business Organization hosted its first fashion show in Capitol Federal Hall on April 12th in collaboration with Alpha Couture, a Kansas City fashion and lifestyle group. Ten student designers displayed their collections, modeled by 40 students.
Brothers Nana and King Amfo Sackey launched Alpha Couture in 2016. Their business started through music, with King handling production and Nana writing the music. When one of their songs went viral, fans requested T-shirts, sparking their realization that fashion was where they wanted to be. Nana is a senior studying visual communication design, pursuing an entrepreneurship certificate. King enrolled in KU in 2019, pursuing a master’s in architecture and a minor in business, and will be graduating in 2026.
Alongside them, setting up the fashion show was Marilyn Jewett, a senior majoring in business administration with a minor in entrepreneurship. She helped manage the operation by setting up rehearsals and hiring students for various roles within the show. In 2018, Jewett started her own clothing reselling business called Marilyns Mall, where she curates vintage clothes and sells them online, often doing pop-up shops. Her entrepreneurship courses have helped her think deeper into how she can make her business unique in a very saturated industry.
“The entrepreneurship part of my business is finding the value in propositions, like what can I bring to the market that is going to bring value to people that is not already being done,” Jewett said. “The innovation aspect is definitely something from entrepreneurship that I am bringing into the field with me.”
When putting on the show, Jewett and Nana worked closely with Charlotte Tritch, lecturer and director of entrepreneurship degree programs.
Nana credits Tritch’s ENTR 470 Entrepreneurial Marketing for equipping him with key skills that ensured a smooth show.
“I did a little bit of business studies in high school, so it was good to learn more about that and marketing, and understanding the channels of distribution,” Nana said.
Working toward his entrepreneurship certificate has also given Nana many skills like finance, business and marketing. When looking ahead, Nana knows this certificate will help him stand out, giving him a better understanding of how businesses operate.
“Knowing how a business works is good for you as a designer because you may know how something works that another designer who did not take those kinds of classes will not know,” Nana said.
Tritch welcomed the audience to the fashion show with an opening speech. As the host, the School of Business played a great role in bringing the show to life
“The role of the School of Business is to be a welcoming place that can be open to events that are across campus and collaborative events,” Tritch said.
Also in her speech, Tritch emphasized the importance of collaboration across disciplines, something deeply embedded in the fashion industry. From supply chain and manufacturing to marketing and purchasing, many parts keep the fashion industry running.
The show was a powerful example of individuals with diverse skills, interests, and passions coming together to create this great event.
“The participants brought so many different talents to this event — design, marketing, operations, events, modeling, photography, music. This event was like a microcosm of the whole idea of the importance of cross-disciplinary work,” Tritch said.
The success of KU’s first fashion show is a testament to the power of collaboration and entrepreneurship. Students like Marilyn Jewett and Nana Amfo Sackey demonstrate how a passion for business and fashion can create memorable events such as the fashion show. From the student designers to the behind-the-scenes team and Professor Charlotte Tritch, each individual played a role in bringing this event to life.