DRESSING ROOM

Designing woman grad to show off her creations

Taquilla Williams receives her Arkansas Fashion School diploma from school operator Jamileh Kamran at a graduation event in August. Williams has now officially put out her design shingle.
Taquilla Williams receives her Arkansas Fashion School diploma from school operator Jamileh Kamran at a graduation event in August. Williams has now officially put out her design shingle.

It was only nine short months ago that Taquilla Williams of Little Rock earned her diploma from Arkansas Fashion School. She showed off her creations at A Leading Edge, the school's combined graduation ceremony and fashion show late last summer.

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Fashion designer Taquilla Williams will debut “The Lemonade Collection” — the summer collection of her ExVee Clothing line — June 3 at Little Rock’s Trapnall Hall.

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This round-neck, organic linen dress, with color splash chiffon scarf, is from The Lemonade Collection by designer Taquilla Williams. The collection will be featured in her debut show June 3 in Little Rock.

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Vionic’s Carmel Heeled Sandal offers the comfort of block heels.

Now, Williams, 39, is about to display her work as a professional fashion designer. "A Citrus Splash of Summer" is scheduled for 4 p.m. June 3 at Trapnall Hall, 423 E. Capitol Ave., Little Rock. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m., and guests will be treated to musical entertainment and refreshments.

Featured will be The Lemonade Collection from Williams' ExVee Clothing line. This collection feature garments in a blend of white, green and yellow linen, along with lemonade-print fabrics. These are "fashions to accentuate the fun, crisp brilliance of summer in an array of citrus color," according to the snazzy invitations. The clothing will be shown by 12 models, from children's size 4 to women's size 24.

Williams' road to design began in her native Camden. Her penchant for fashion was passed along from her great-grandmother, who sewed and "used to pretty much make patterns out of Piggly Wiggly [grocery store] bags," she says. "I would sit out on the porch with her. I would always dress [uniquely], so people would always ask me, 'Well, where did you get that?' And I would be like, 'Well, I just added this' or 'I added that.'"

About three years, ago she attended a fashion show and decided it was time to get serious about her raw design talent. It wasn't as if Williams, already a nurse and hairdresser, didn't have plenty to do. But she knew that fashion design was "what I really, really want to do."

So she enrolled in Little Rock's Arkansas Fashion School, owned and operated by designer Jamileh Kamran, and worked multiple jobs to pay tuition. Williams, mother of a college junior and rearing a 14-year-old godchild, also had to take care of the homefront.

"And I broke my finger during that time," she says. "But I didn't stop. ... I had surgery on that Monday, and I went to class on that Tuesday."

Williams went on to graduate No. 2 in her class. "It was quite hectic but ... I've always been taught that your gift will make room for you -- whatever it is." This is her first solo show.

She caters to the unique, classy woman, though her show features men's, women's and children's fashions. Her motto is "A bit of fashion for everyone." But, coming from a family she describes as "big-boned," she favors plus-size women in her designs. "I was a thick girl who wasn't proportioned right, who was short. So I would always have to come back to reinvent [a] garment ... plus size women should feel sexy. They should feel good about themselves and feel like a star when they step out."

Although plus-size women's wear has made big strides in recent years, Williams says she feels the market is still missing some uniqueness. Not everything designed for a plus-size woman has to be "drape-y or flow-y," she says.

Williams is making plans to show her designs in September at New York Fashion Week. She hopes to someday see her clothes sold in stores and design for celebrities.

ALSO SHOWING ...

The Kurvy Kuties Plus Modeling Group presents the eighth installment of the Little Rock Full Figure Fashion Show 2017, with "Groove" as the theme. The event is from 6 to 9 p.m. June 3 at the Centre at University Park, 6401 W. 12th St., Little Rock. Doors open at 5 p.m.

VIP tickets are $40; regular admission is $25 for adults and $10 at the door for children up to age 12. Tickets can be bought online at evensi.us (type in the town and show date). Sales end June 3.

SUMMER SHOE LOVES

When single-soled, high heeled shoes rose again to dethrone the platform heels that had been popular in recent years, I thought that would be the end of comfortable heels. Luckily, that's not the case. The block heels that are currently popular make the single-soles bearable, even when the heels are nearly 4 inches tall. I've especially fallen for the block-heeled version of the wildly popular two-piece dress sandal, consisting of just an ankle strap and toe strap.

I've added several pairs of wide-width, block-heeled sandals to the ol' spring/summer 2017 wardrobe. A gorgeous suede two-piece sandal from Lanebryant.com has already sold out. But here are several styles left for wide-footers:

• The Comfortview Bibi two-piece sandal ($39.99 and up at Fullbeauty.com and Womanwithin.com). This style comes in black and bone, and features a 2 1/2-inch heel, making it extra-comfortable. However, its narrow ankle strap can sometimes be pesky to buckle.

• Comfortview also has the 3 1/2-inch-heeled Belle sandal ($44.99-$49.99), which I probably should have ordered first because it has a zip-up back that allows the wearer to bypass the ankle strap buckle. At last look, the style was still available in full and half-size 7s, 8s, 10s and 12s. It comes in black and suntan.

• Vionic's Carmel Heeled Sandal, ($139.95), which I got as a sample. It features three wide, buckled straps, with a slingback strap anchoring the ankle strap and sits on a 3.2-inch stacked block heel. It comes in black and saddle; a snake-print version has apparently sold out.

Dressing Room now appears monthly. Send Arkansas fashion-related tips and news releases to:

hwilliams@arkansasonline.com

High Profile on 05/21/2017

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