Dressed in spray-painted jeans and a white button-up, Alexia Dizeko strutted her way down the runway, stopping at the end to pose for the cameras. Between the crowd’s cheers and the hip-hop music in the background, the energy of the night was deafening.
For Dizeko, the cameras and crowd felt like home, even if the runway was foreign.
Her usual stage is the basketball court. The 24-year-old graduate forward was one of many UF women’s basketball players to model at Thursday night’s fashion show, “Elevé 352.”
Trading in their jerseys for streetwear, athletic attire and Gator garments, the players — in collaboration with the UF Dazzlers — put on a fashion show to fundraise for their team, raise awareness for mental health and engage with the community.
The outfits showcased ranged from a light pink dress with feathers to a sea of orange and blue items, like vintage bomber jackets and a fully bedazzled water bottle.
“It was for sure a lot of stress,” Dizeko said. “But when you’re into it and you feel the energy of people, it was just fun to do it.”
Elevé 352 was the first time the UF women's basketball team has put on a fashion show, and it was the players’ first time hitting the catwalk. For Dizeko, it was a terrific way to showcase the new team’s energy going into the upcoming basketball season.
Assistant coach Jasmine Sborov said support from the Dazzlers and the community made it all possible. Earlier in the week, the team was expecting 170 attendees, but Sborov said they surpassed that.
“People kept coming in, and I saw a line out the door,” Sborov said. “It gave me goosebumps. It’s just so awesome that people are rallying behind these girls.”
Part of the event’s proceeds will go to two organizations that champion mental health awareness. During the event, head coach Kelly Rae Finley spoke about the importance of mental health in the sport and the emphasis her team places on mental wellness.
Local businesses provided most of the clothing worn on the runway. This included designers and shops like Jaycasso, Pressed by Sarita, YSF and Ilene’s Gator Store.
Ilene Silverman, owner of Ilene’s Gator Store, took the runway to talk about her love for women’s basketball and the Gators spirit, showing off her Gator Chomp. As a lifelong Gainesville resident, she enjoyed seeing new faces supporting the team and wearing her shop’s items.
“Local businesses supporting sports like Gator women’s basketball or the arts is extremely important,” Silverman said. “It’s what’s going to make the difference.
As the team prepares for its first game on Nov. 3 at the O’Connell Center, players hope to see the community come out to support them once again.
“They’re not just players. Tonight, they were models,” Silverman said. “They’re also wonderful, and I hope they feel the love that Elevé 352 has promoted in support of them and women’s basketball.”
Emily Moreno is a contributing writer for The Alligator. Contact her at emilymoreno@ufl.edu.
