Troy student ‘Transcends’ beauty standards with fashion show

( Photo / Ayanna Williams )Destin Henderson, Upper Echelon Modeling founder.Ayanna WilliamsStaff Writer Last Friday, a Troy student set the house on fire during his first fashion show called “The Transcend of Standard  and Beauty.” Destin Henderson is a junior global marketing major from Dothan, Alabama and presented his show at Sherman’s  Smoothie Café. Henderson also founded Upper Echelon Modeling on Troy’s campus last May, which strives to build confidence in women. “We understand that every woman has beauty that needs to escape,” Henderson said. “The inspiration behind this organization is to focus on the beauty a woman possesses and what they feel they have lost or what they feel like they don’t have. Henderson’s models are known as the “House of Benai” and were showcased during the fashion event at Sherman’s. Local musical artists such as Xhrissy, Mike, Draymond and Kiddo Magi were also featured with genres ranging from pop to rap. Several local fashion brands also had a chance to have their clothing showcased on Friday night. Cutting Edge, ID by Distinct, The Baddie Effect, Bag Talk, Four7teen and Be Fashion all took part in the event. “The fashion show was amazing, and this is my first time attending an event like this,” said Deven Reese, a junior elementary education major from Montgomery, Alabama. “I was definitely entertained, and the models did so well. “I love that there was a mixture of both fashion models and music artists during the show.” After the success of the fashion show, Upper Echelon modeling will be hosting an open mic night on Wednesday, Feb. 24, from 6-8 p.m. at Sherman’s Smoothie Café located at 203 Love St. Those interested in joining Upper Echelon Modeling should email Henderson at dhenderson@troy.edu with their name, age, hometown and a professional headshot.