Among the ever-continuous pandemic, local Austin businesses worry that their doors may have to close due to economic impacts brought on by Covid-19. June Taylor, a women’s apparel store in the Domain, was dedicated to bringing the runway to its customers at affordable prices regardless of the pandemic’s challenges.

June Taylor’s racks are filled with the latest couture located at The Domain in Austin, Tx.

Phillip J. Solomon, the owner of June Taylor, began to collaborate with St. Edward’s CABRA Fashion Magazine, local designers such as For The Love of Austin and No Color Just Culture, and with fashionista singer-songwriter, Mya Ramoné.

Together they brainstormed creative ideas on how June Taylor would keep the store’s promise of inspiring women to express themselves authentically. Those ideas soon formed into an open-to-the-public fashion show debuting the store’s fall and winter collection.

CABRA’s creative director Isabel Mikhail and fashion stylist, Melanie Tillar, assisted Soloman in curating the event, applying finishing touches as opening night came closer and closer.

All hands were on deck as the show was moments away from the first look hitting the runway. Meanwhile, CABRA was behind-the-scenes, providing stylists, make-up artists, and models, allowing them to get up-close and personal with June Taylor’s chic collection.

CABRA make-up artists work on finishing touches as models begin heading towards the runway.

“It was a mutual effort of getting great minds together to put on a successful show. Everyone was excited and willing to contribute to do what they could to make it happen,” said Tillar.

The seasonal collection blended bohemian-chic with an edgy undertone, and night-on-the-town elegance with “boss-babe” energy. It was giving the audience cool, calm, and collected – no matter the occasion.

Dressed from head-to-toe in June Taylor’s vast range of trends and accessories, the garments molded to each models’ body as if they were hand-tailored to them.  Each outfit was designed and styled with the modern “go-getter” woman in mind.

“It was an immersive experience,” said Isbel Mikhail about modeling in her first runway show, “It made me step out of my comfort zone because usually, I am behind the scenes with CABRA as a stylist or casting director, so being the face of something like June Taylor was fun and exciting.”

With energetic, bold, and vibrant tailored fabrics dropping jaws and sparking buzz among the audience, the fashion show was on its way to being the hottest topic of Austin’s growing fashion scene.

The ambiance was filled with enthusiasm and opulence as the models marched down the runway with fierce and confident attitudes. Complimentary beverages and a live DJ provided relaxation as well as something for the audience to tap their foot to as they oohed and awed at the clothes coming down the catwalk.

Lavish fur coats, playful tiered dresses, and sharp two-piece sets caught the eyes of window shoppers as they strolled into the store’s open doors to get a closer look.

People await the launch of June Taylor’s Fall and Winter runway show.

“It was a blast modeling for June Taylor. I loved the outfits I wore; they made me feel extremely confident. This was my first runway experience, so it was pretty nerve-wracking, but it was sensational nevertheless,” said June Taylor ambassador and model Lindsey Underwood.

Upon completing the show, Soloman and fellow designers walked down the runway, proud of their vision that finally came to fruition.

Mya Ramonè and the TeddyCamLand band took center stage as the show’s closing musical guests. They performed original songs like “Cinnamon Sunday” and “Swisher Saturday,” bringing back a long-awaited feeling of normalcy as the audience mingled and danced along to the band’s funky hip-hop fusion of pop and soul.

As the spectators began to fill their arms with garments and dresses from the collection, it was safe to say that the doors of June Taylor would be remaining open despite Covid-19 challenges, keeping their promise of inspiring customers to live and dress well this holiday season.