Pursuit Of Truth Club Holds Fashion Show, Promotes Pro-Life Values

The LU Pursuit of Truth Club hosted the second annual Culture of Life 1972 Fashion Show Saturday in the LaHaye Event Space with the mission to spread life, liberty and fashion to students.

The fashion show began with models walking down the runway in Culture of Life 1972 (COL1972) clothing and accessories. 

Special guests Abby Johnson and Alex Clark made an appearance at the fashion show and shared the importance of the pro-life movement. Abby Johnson, a prominent pro-life activist who formerly worked at Planned Parenthood, shared a story about a woman who chose life for her unborn baby when she had planned to abort the child that same day.

 Alex Clark, host of POPlitics a conservative web series about pop culture, walked in the show and spoke out against the pro-choice agenda and how the pro-life movement supports every life, beginning at birth. 

Gabriella Moreno, a senior at Liberty, was excited to show her support of the pro-life movement at the fashion show

“I heard about it from Scarlet, (who) was modeling, and we know each other from Catholic Campus Ministry and so we kind of all got involved, and we support life, so we just came for that,” Moreno said.

Moreno enjoyed hearing Clark challenge pro-choice ideas and said she was encouraged by Abby Johnson’s words. 

Along with the fashion show, a raffle was hosted to raise money for the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center. The winner received a basket including a $20 gift card, a club shirt, a pro-life print, cute buttons, candy and more. Students who were picked in the raffle were given the opportunity to attend “Conservateatime,” a tea party with Johnson, Clark and those who were a part of the fashion show.

Vittoria D’Addesi, the co-founder of COL1972, talked about the brand her family started in January 2019. According to D’Addesi, COL1972 is an alternative to more than 70 brands that give back to Planned Parenthood.

“We are the only brand that gives 100% of our net profits to the pro-life movement,” said D’Addesi. “Our brand has been used as a mechanism to share the message of the pro-life movement because it’s really easy to have a discussion over a shirt, pair of pants or necklace.”

She expanded on the opportunity COL1972 clothing and accessories gives the people who wear them, creating a way to share what the company stands for and why.

According to D’Addesi, the year 1972 represents the brand because it is the last year that abortion was illegal in the United states. Since Roe v. Wade, over 60 million unborn babies have been denied their right to life. 

Liberty University partnered with clubs and other organizations for a pro-life week before the fashion show, which held different events across campus. Other events included a showing of the movie “Unplanned” and the National Pro-life Sidewalk Chalk Day where life affirming messages were written in chalk on the sidewalks of campuses.

D’Addesi encourages students to never give up, asserting that the pro-life movement brings hope and stands for every generation.

“I see a lot of hope in my generation in standing for life because when we stand for life, we are standing for all people,” D’Addesi said. “Especially when we look into a world so divided, we are all alive and all equally human.” 

Each clothing and accessory piece shown in the event can be found on the Culture of Life 1972 website under LU Fashion Show Finds.

Lauren Shank is a News Reporter. Follow her on Twitter at @laurnemshank.