The Runway Goes Back To School

5 days ago

2 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

By Faith Olatunde

Nothing says new beginnings quite like a fresh notebook, a flight path, and a new look.

Atlanta International Fashion Week (AIFW) and The Fashion Apprentice Inc’s Back to School Bash captured all three and so much more.

The event created history as the first fashion show ever hosted on the grounds of the Aviation History Museum in Marietta, Georgia. History was made and the moment felt exactly as magical as the milestone created.

Here’s the twist that made this year unforgettable.

At the top of the event, AIFW held an official model call for its highly anticipated September fashion show. Prospective models walked a runway framed by museum relics and stepped into a street style photoshoot staged on-site. The event was a scouting session unfolding in real time. By that evening, standout candidates weren't left waiting for an email. They were called, selected, and walked straight into the evening wear fashion show. The prospective models received the answer to their application live, on the runway, in front of an audience witnessing a career defining moment as it happened.

The student attendees received just as much excitement. Every attendee left with a fully stocked back to school kit filled with notebooks, pencils, markers, folders, binders, a bag, and highlighters — every essential a student needs to start the year strong. An on-site barber sent kids off with fresh cuts and fresh confidence. A medical health panel brought vital wellness conversations into the room, a live DJ kept the energy soaring from morning through evening, and a veterans highlight moment honored those who served. The adults and young students witnessed two red carpet runway presentations: a show stopping kids' fashion show by Gold Munke and a stunning women's evening wear showcase by Priyal Doshi Couture featuring a live performance by the designer herself. Together, they turned the museum into a runway floor.

Every year, it is our honor to bring this event to life, and every year, it grows into something bigger than the one before. If you missed it this time, mark your calendars now. 2027 is coming, and we're going bigger.