Lauren Bell
Features Reporter

Zebra print, fur, and boots strutted across Mesa Theater’s runway Friday night in alignment with the jungle-themed Survive Fashion Show. It was the first fashion show by Klik Clothing Company and ANEWU Salon of Grand Junction. There were 34 models, many of them Mesa State Students, primped and pretty for the outrageously glammed-up Survive fashion show.
The show’s sole purpose was to raise money for the Junior Service League’s “Walk 4 Life” in Grand Junction. This charity provides funding for mammograms, ultrasounds, and screening of biopsies for uninsured individuals under the age of 49 in Mesa County. All proceeds were donated to Walk 4 life in Mesa County.
ANEWU has done other breast cancer fundraisers for which they were nationally recognized. “We have done pink hair extensions for hope. Last year we were able to raise 3800 dollars for breast cancer and were in the top 6 salons in the US for the money we raised through the hair extensions,” said Brandy Eaton, one of ANEWU’s owners. The money from the hair extensions was donated on a national level. However, the salon wanted to be able to donate money locally and the collaboration with Klik Clothing started with a donation goal in mind.
For six weeks prior to the show Krystal Neely, the lead stylist and the in-salon coach at ANEWU, designed hairstyles exclusively for the Survive Show. “I was creating hairstyles and learning how to do them in a short amount of time. Because styles can take hours to get done, you’ve got to keep working on it to get in order to get it to a science so you can have a stylist that hasn’t created those looks before help you,” said Neely.
Starting at 10 a.m. on Friday Oct. 22, the first wave of models gathered at ANEWU salon to start the hair and make up process. Helping prepare all 34 models, took six hairstylists and one makeup artist speedily working with combs, brushes, pins and hairspray in hand. Many of the models’ hair was crimped and teased for enormous styles fit for the runway. Neely has been a part of fashions shows for the past nine years and had even previously been a stylist in New Yorks’ fashion week.
Through her time with benefit fashion shows, she has met and worked with many women affected by breast cancer. “I’ve had a lot of clients affected by it and have actually had to shave heads. I went through that process with them and established a personal relationship with my clients,” Neely said “… as women, hair becomes a big part of our identity- a big part of femininity. When you lose your breast or you lose your hair, that (part) goes away. As hair starts to grow back, it usually grows in different colors, different textures than they’re used to. Being able to grow the new hair into a cute style so they can deal with it as it comes in and make them feel better on that path is very rewarding.”
The theme of Survive was in harmony with the purpose of breast cancer fundraising. From this theme, designer Susan Lettman, owner of Klik Clothing created edgy outfits consisting of different animal prints and textures. Once the outfits were shown on stage, models struck their poses on the runway as camera flashes sparkled in their eyes.
“This won’t be our last fashion show,” says Bonnie Eaton, the other owner of ANEWU salon. Plans for a Spring show or now in the works. Though the show received outstanding feedback, Neely said, “That next show will blow this one out of the water!” As the director of the show, Bonnie explains, “All the small details are the most difficult.” After the debut of the first show, the following shows will only get, bigger, better, and raise even more money for breast cancer prevention, patients, and awareness.
All participants of the show were pleased with the outcome. Neely says she especially loves, “Being able to be creative and artistic in a different way to raise money for a good cause.” And that is exactly what she and the team accomplished.