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Faces of Fashion: A Global Vision with Local Roots
- Crystal Jordan
- Sep 14
- 3 min read
By Crystal Jordan
Auesomely You Magazine
Published: 9/14/2025
Pillar Focus: Disability Awareness
At Auesomely You Magazine, we believe fashion is more than style—it's storytelling, culture, and a vehicle for visibility. The 2025 Faces of Fashion Showcase, held at Social Capital ATL, was more than just a runway event. It was a transformative experience that tied artistry, advocacy, and accessibility together in a celebration of bold imagination and global reach.
Our media brand was personally invited to be in the room—and let me say this: it was an experience like every year. This time, I had the pleasure of doing several interviews, including one with a designer who lives with dyslexia and another with an attendee who recently battled a brain tumor. These stories matter, and this is exactly why Auesomely You Magazine deserves to be in every room. Because positive impact media matters. Media representation matters. When we show up, we shine a light on voices and visions that too often go unseen.
From the opening remarks by David Manuel, who recently returned from Cape Town as part of the "Fame Week Africa" cultural exchange, the tone was clear: Atlanta's creative community is ready to go global. With plans already in motion to send student designers from Clark Atlanta University to Paris Fashion Week and build bridges between Fulton County and international arts platforms, this wasn't just fashion—this was a movement.
"I want young people to know they have options," said one organizer. "Fashion isn’t just modeling. It’s production, textile design, marketing, creative direction, and more. And we want every student—especially those who are neurodivergent, disabled, or differently abled—to see themselves in this industry."
The event featured stunning collections from emerging student designers and industry veterans alike. What stood out wasn't just the craftsmanship—it was the purpose behind every stitch. Designers like Anya Albert, who transforms secondhand textiles into couture silhouettes, and Aprameya Krishnamurthy, who channels her lived experience with dyslexia into garments that embody visual storytelling, showed us that fashion can be both personal and political.
Afreen Khundmiri shared in our interview, “When I first started designing, I struggled with traditional sketching. My brain works differently, and dyslexia made it hard to follow certain design software and patterns. But I found freedom in texture, in fabric draping, in touch. My fashion process is like my reading process—it’s nonlinear, but powerful.”
Her garments—bold, unexpected, layered—reflected that process, and reminded every neurodivergent creative in the room: your difference is your design edge.
Inclusivity on the Runway and Beyond
This year marked a turning point for Faces of Fashion. The show intentionally included:
A plus-size designer, DeAndra, who centers body diversity in her collection.
A hijabi designer, Alex Hollingsworth, whose modestwear blends fashion and faith.
Adaptive fashion elements woven into multiple collections, proving that fashion can meet the needs of all bodies.
In a world that still sidelines disabled creatives, this showcase was a bold reminder: Inclusion isn't a trend. It's a necessity.
Designers to Watch
Jen Mason brought vintage back to life with her sustainable label, JENGEE Fashion, transforming thrift into wearable art.
Tress Fleetwood delivered a stunning tribute to the Harlem Renaissance, using textiles as cultural storytelling.
Anya Albert elevated upcycled materials into garments that honored both heritage and future.
Sonal Dand infused Indian cultural identity into contemporary silhouettes.
Aprameya Krishnamurthy translated dyslexic brilliance into fashion-forward innovation, reminding us that disability is not limitation—it's inspiration.
Two Weeks, One Cultural Wave
The runway event is just the beginning. Faces of Fashion spans two weeks of activations across Atlanta, including:
Makeup workshops at Macy's
A takeover of Atlanta Fashion Week
Curated talks and style experiences that center cultural identity, empowerment, and innovation
Where Advocacy Meets Artistry
The evening closed with remarks from Fulton County Arts Council leaders who emphasized the county’s unwavering support of arts, especially initiatives that reflect community, accessibility, and legacy. As Amari Kendall put it: “When you support fashion, you support culture. And when you support local designers, you shape global narratives."
In a room full of color, confidence, and creativity, one truth stood tall: Fashion belongs to everyone. And at Faces of Fashion, everyone belonged.
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