breaking silence peer educators host project condom fashion show at sex in the dark event at lehigh university

On Thursday, February 26th, 2026, the Clayton University Center at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania came to life and buzzed with students gathering for something different than your typical campus gathering. They hosted a ‘Sex in the Dark’ event where students have the opportunity to anonymously ask sexual health questions. The event followed with a Project Condom fashion show all brought to life by the student leaders of the Break the Silence (BTS) Peer Educators, who also are ONE® College Ambassadors.

The central goal of the event was straightforward yet powerful: to raise awareness about sexual health and safer sex practices in anticipation of spring break. Spring break is a time when sexual activity increases, and reinforcing access to accurate information and resources is more important than ever. Coordinators from BTS reported reaching that goal with energy and enthusiasm, seeing a great turnout and engagement from students drawn in by the one-of-a-kind condom fashion show and the supplemental educational programming that accompanied it. 

The BTS team took a different approach. Rather than a standard lecture, this condom fashion show radiated interactive appeal, mixing visual spectacle with meaningful dialogue. According to the Break the Silence Peer Educators, the event drew an enthusiastic crowd of 75-100 students. Each attendee received a goody bag filled with an assortment of donated ONE® condoms including styles like ONE® Flex® and co-branded condom carrying tins.The goal was to give students information and resources that help destigmatize condom use by making them visible and accessible. 

One of the reasons why Project Condom fashion show events are so impactful—whether at Lehigh or another community–is because they break through traditional barriers around sexual health messaging by turning condoms into conversation starters. The ONE® Project Condom program invites groups to use condoms as materials in garment design not to trivialize them, but to spark curiosity, celebrate safer sex, and normalize discussions about prevention, consent, and sexual wellbeing. 

At Lehigh, six teams brought their designs to life on the runway, each created through a collaborative, student-led process. Groups volunteered through outreach on the club’s Instagram, email, past participant networks, and word of mouth. Once formed, each team selected a model, completed a sign-up form, and developed their own unique garment concept. Participating groups included Break the Silence Peer Educators, SPEAK Peer Educators from the Pride Center, Gender/Leadership/ Empowerment Center, Modeling Club, College of Health, and Alpha Phi Sorority, bringing together a wide range of perspectives and campus voices. 

This year’s theme was retro, which invited participants to reimagine popular styles of the past through a modern, safer sex lens. By keeping the theme intentionally broad, organizers encouraged creative freedom, resulting in designs that blended nostalgia with bold interpretations. Each condom couture transformed condoms into statement pieces that were as conversation-starting as they were visually striking.

By using real external condoms and making them a visible work of art as part of the garment, participants and onlookers alike were invited to rethink cultural norms around condoms. 

Project Condom events are always about more than the runway and Lehigh is no exception. After the fashion show drew attention, cheers, and applause, the event continued with a peer education panel that answered sex-related questions that were submitted anonymously by the audience. This open Q&A sparked thoughtful discussion, debunked sexual health myths, and created an environment where students could learn from their trained peers without judgement. 

This combination of creative expression and factual discourse made the event educational on multiple levels: students weren’t just being told what they should know. They were naming why it matters and how it connects to their choices, relationships, and wellbeing. Educational moments like these help reinforce sexual health literacy, a critical component in reducing rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancies, and stigma around condom use among college-aged adults.

According to sexual health research, nearly half of the 20 million new STI cases in the U.S. each year occur among people aged 15–24, underscoring the urgency of reaching college communities with engaging, accurate sexual health information. 

Events such as this Project Condom fashion show are more than one‑time spectacles, they are steps toward building a campus culture where sexual health is integrated into everyday conversations, not whispered in corners. Thanks to the bold vision of Break the Silence Peer Educators, the participation of student designers, and the strategic support from ONE® Condoms, this event marked a memorable milestone for sexual health promotion at Lehigh University and beyond.

Whether it’s through fashion, peer education, or community collaboration, one thing is clear: sexual health advocacy is more effective when it is creative, inclusive, and celebrated,  just like the garments that walked down Lehigh’s runway on that inspiring February afternoon.

The success of Lehigh University ‘Sex in the Dark’ and condom fashion show demonstrate how innovation, out of the box thinking, and peer-led initiatives can transform sexual health into an experience that's memorable, engaging, and impactful. By combining art, dialogue, and practical resources like ONE® condoms, students were empowered to take ownership of their sexual health while inspiring their peers to do the same.