Techno threads and futuristic fashion: The Eclectic Revolution
Camari Lawson wearing one of Makai Kamil’s designs at the RAVEZ Social Club Eclectic Revolution Fashion Show. Photo by Cam Dorsey.
Ellie Waltman, Copy Editor
Braxton Hare, Spectrum Editor
RAVEZ Social Club has gathered youth all across the Greater Richmond area to elevate the talented voices of the community and celebrate life for the last three years. The social club provides fun events, fashion and forward-thinking ideas, according to their website.
RAVEZ Social Club recently hosted The Eclectic Revolution fashion show on March 22 as part of RVA Men’s Fashion Week 2025.
The show was an immersive experience embodying the brand’s unapologetic, high-energy spirit. Through bold visuals, pulsating music and statement-making fashion, the runway captured the essence of nightlife and individuality, ensuring every moment reflected what it truly means to be the “Life of the Party,” according to an Instagram post.
The event’s dress code was futuristic fusion, blending metallic looks, elevated streetwear and solid black and white. Funds from the event were donated to the Dreamer Academy Foundation, according to an Instagram post.
Josh Nkan, founder of RAVEZ Social Club and fourth-year computer science student, said the runway show has been in the works for a few years.
“We came up with the idea of doing a runway show across the last three years,” Nkan said. “We’ve always been this community-centered nightlife collective based off of young creatives.”
The Eclectic Revolution fashion show aims to highlight the impact the Richmond night scene has had on RAVEZ as a social club, according to Nkan.
“The goal is not to influence the Richmond night scene so much as to show our influence from the Richmond night scene,” Nkan said. “We wanted to show how extravagant streetwear can be.”
The show highlighted a wide range of cultural movements, but its main theme was centered around a lack of conformity and wanting to break apart from the establishment, according to Nkan.
“If there’s an underlying theme, it’s ‘revolutionist rebellion,’” Nkan said.
Nkan said that because of the city grit, he currently has no plans to expand RAVEZ Social Club outside of Richmond
“Every single year the show is more and more anticipated,” Nkan said. “I think we have something really special here and the grass isn’t always greener.”
Darrien Hewlett, the executive director and founder of Threaded, said that RAVEZ Social Club’s willingness to welcome a wide range of creatives is what sets the club apart from the rest.
“I think it’s really dope that they’re so in vogue with where it’s going,” Hewlett said. “It’s a diverse group of people who have a unique love for streetwear.”
Makai Gillis, better known as Makai Kamil, a second-year fashion design student, said they got connected with RAVES Social Club through Ciara Joyer-Plata, a third-year fashion merchandising student.
“She was basically my main point of contact and she was the one who brought me on, onto RAVEZ Social Club,” Kamil said.
Kamil said she had three various looks in the show that she had made within the past six months.
“I think my designs right now are just a timestamp of what I’m learning in class,” Kamil said.
Kamil said she puts everything she has learned in school into her designs and then does extra work outside of the classroom.
“I never want my creative designs to be hindered by my ability. So I don’t want to have an abstract idea that I can’t create myself because of my ability,” Kamil said. “I work very very tirelessly in the studio, sometimes all night, and go to class.”
Kamil said craftsmanship is the main thing that she focuses on when making and putting together garments.
“I really love sewing. That may come as a surprise, but some people are more on the design track and sketching,” Kamil said. “I really like to make garments, like construct garments. So anything that I design, I want to make myself; I want to construct myself.”
Runway shows and events are giving designers a platform and a challenge to push themselves with their designs, according to Kamil.
“Shows like these are pushing us. When a designer gets brought on to do a show, they have to think, ‘Okay, what am I going to produce? What is new? What do I have?’ So it’s giving us an opportunity to produce.” Kamil said. “I know for me, I love doing shows because it’s more exposure.”
You have to dedicate 100 percent of your creative mind to your art, according to Kamil.
“Young creatives, stay creative, practice creativity, just keep doing everything to the best of your ability because you’ll get somewhere,” Kamil said.
