Move Over! There's A New Kid On The Block

Let me start off by saying that there are mistakes that you make in life that you KNOW you will never make again. Consider me guilty as charged! I must admit, missing any one of Alicia Wilson’s fashion shows (A. Wilson Styled) prior to the one I attended on June 16 was a huge mistake.

Yes, you guys! The fashion show was just THAT EPIC

-- from the hand selected venue at “King’s” located in Raleigh, North Carolina to the fierce models that served attitude all down the runway to the upbeat music that kept the crowd on their toes and rocking their heads.

In fact, I never want to make the mistake of missing any of her future shows.

Titled “The Rundown,” Ms. Wilson’s fashion event brought out some of Raleigh’s most talented designers and musical artists. She succeeded in serving the crowd with a full plate of style, confidence, comic relief, good vibes, and a side of hair flips! *snap, snap* Might I add, she represented Raleigh’s fashion scene very well. (Can I get unprofessional for a second and just say yasssss?)

Ms. Wilson provided us onlookers with numerous reasons for never missing an A. Wilson Styled event. I, myself, left with 4 key reasons why YOU should have been at The Rundown.

1. Organization is Key: When I first arrived, I was cheerfully greeted by some of Alicia’s fashion show assistants. As I looked around, I noticed that they were not greeting me cheerfully just because I was part of the press. In fact, I noticed that all incomers (press or not) were being greeted welcome with huge, warm greetings. What a perfect way to set the tone for a fun, down-to-earth show?

Shortly after entering into the venue, I understood why Ms. Wilson chose King’s as her venue. The graffiti on the wall, inclusion of a bar, and perfect sized stage were all elements that added to the fashion forwardness of the event. It was a very funky, hip location.

Before sitting in the press section, I was handed my lanyard. After being seated, I observed the seating arrangement for other audience members. There was a bag on the chairs of the VIP guests which in my opinion was a great gesture of appreciation. With no mishaps during the show and fitting music, Ms. Wilson proved that she had meticulously planned this event.

2. Dynamic: The Rundown was much more than a compilation of runways. The music intermezzos during the event was a great way to prevent monotony and keep the crowd’s interest. Host, Petey Hyman, kept the crowd entertained with his quirky jokes. I almost fell out of my seat in laughter when he took upon his self to show the crowd how to strut down the runway. He added the perfect touch of comedic relief.

3. Talent Meets Hard Work: The Rundown was divided into themes: The White Stag Rundown; Baked Rundown; La Playa Rundown; Prince Rundown; Denim Rundown; Foil and Turmoil Rundown; Noir Rundown; and Ruby’s Outro Rundown (and a final walk). In other words, designers were tasked with making sure the model’s outfits (and music) were in line with the set theme. It was a job well done. Five words:

You should have been there.

4. The Power in the Name: Really SimplyMei? Is a title that important?

You bet it is. A name is largely important. It set the entire tone of the show and embodied Alicia’s vision. Advertisements, themes, and a slew of other things were based off of “The Rundown”. The show definitely matched the hype behind the name. “The Rundown” schooled me on what a well-organized show is supposed to look like.

SimplyMei’s Highlight

As a more down-to-earth, chill person myself I would have to say that the Baked Runway was my all-time favorite. It featured more of your nudes, browns, and other earth tone pieces.

If someone talks to Ms. Wilson, ask her can I be in the next show. SimplyMei tries modeling ..

Wrapping Up With SimplyMei

With that being said, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Ms. Wilson. I’m going to let you designers that have been around before her finish but that Alicia Wilson is more than your “one hit wonder”, new kid on the block. She is a forced to be reckoned with in the fashion world and I don’t think anyone has seen the last of her.

Find her on Instagram @lele213m3 for more updates!