Written by Tanya Terry

Featured photo: Na’Ziya Lewis, age 17, who designed the Nailuxe line, has her designs showcased and also modeled in the recent 810 Spring Fashion Show. Photos by Tanya Terry

A crowd of about 200 people were wowed by the 810 Spring Fashion Show last Saturday, May 24. Thirty four models strutted and swaggered down the runway displaying the designs of eight designers,  including many local designers.

Adriana Lanice is CEO and producer of Lavelle Werk Modeling and Booking Agency and the 810 fashion shows. She has committed to offering four seasonal shows annually with her team.

Lanice started her modeling agency when she was 17 years old.

“Growing up as a model and a runway coach, I was in this industry for a very long time,” she said. “So, I decided years later, after being a production manager, that I would like to produce my own shows. So, that’s where the 810 Fashions Shows came from, and now we are in our fourth year. They have been amazing since the very first one!”

Lanice is passionate about showcasing local designers.

“We start here first – because Flint is home,” she said. “We want to make sure we can uplift and we can rebrand, and we can take them to wherever we need to take them to so they they can be at the level they want to be at with their clothing. For example, we’ve taken some of our designers to New York Fashion Week this year. We’re also on the way to Atlanta this year, with some designers, models, media and staff. We take our whole 810 fashion team with us. The whole goal is to build everyone up into their careers so that they can flourish in what they would love to do.”

Designs by Raine Gear, FH Designs, Motion Memberz Club, Unleashed, Showroom 323, Understand the Brand and Nailuxe were featured at the recent May 24 sold out show.

Na’Ziya Lewis, age 17, who designed the Nailuxe line, told the Courier she had wanted to become a fashion designer since age 6.

“At that time I taught myself hand sewing,” she said. “That was when I starting off cutting and sewing clothes for my Barbie dolls out of socks. By age 8, I started to design clothes for myself rather than just my dolls.”

Lewis saw her near life-long dream come true at the event.

“Working with Adriana and the team, they kind of brought out a different side of me,” said Lewis. “They helped me build my confidence and get more comfortable with just being myself and stepping into what I would like to do. I would say I was kind of shy, kind of quiet and reserved. When I started working with the team, they were able to kind of bring me out of that shell a little bit.”

Lewis, who was also serving as an intern during the event and has been featured in numerous magazines, said she is inspired by Lanice and feels she has a lot in common with her.

“When I see her it’s kind of like me looking at a future version of myself.”

Lanice hosts shows at various locations throughout the city, with the purpose of showing what each venue has to offer and uplifting the city.

The next 810 show is scheduled for August 10.