Young Designer Catches The Attention Of New York Fashion Week

From Philadelphia to New York, a young woman with a big idea is making it in the cutthroat fashion world. Avee Charles first fell in love with creating clothing when she was only 6 years old. Working under her grandmother’s eye, she would learn to sew a button or stitch a hem. Fast-forward to today and at 26 years old is the proud CEO of her own clothing company AVEENATION.

Her talents caught the attention of SheinX and in 2022, the clothing giant reached out to Charles to start a collaboration. That arm of the company in particular works with new designers, giving them the opportunity to create and then sell on a global level. Since they joined forces, she has enjoyed the success of her business which has also been partnered with brands Flying Solo and Off/Script. After receiving an invite to New York Fashion Week, Charles had a “pinch me” moment, saying, “A lot has happened in these last couple of months. I’m still in awe of it. When you think about how your goals are going to play out verses when they are actually happening, it’s always important to really accept the moment instead of always working.”

Charles prefers to stick to her hometown roots and lets the Philadelphia and east coast vibes inspire her designs. Throwbacks to the 90s music-inspired trends have found their way into Charles’ heart and fashion. Philadelphia-based artists like Boys II Men and Jill Scott and the clothing that defined that decade are prominently shown in her designs.

Charles says AVEEATION got it’s unique name from her very own. “A lot of people don’t know, AVEEATION is actually word play from my middle name, Avee. So as soon as a friend of mine suggested that as the title, we ran with it. I said it was perfect. Why not?” She continues saying her brand has always been about family and friends, “Starting off it has always been about community. Growing up, early 2000s, 90s baby, I witnessed from Michael Kors, to Tommy Hilfiger, to Baby Phat, and Sean John and something I’ve realized that was always the key was family, community. And the goal now is to bring that back. Now being able to incorporate that is a great feeling.”