YOU, Yes, you! Allow me to bring you into my tantalizing, personal experience of the VESSEL Lifestylish Magazine second anniversary gala. After all, you did help me choose my dress. To do so, we’ll step from one visionary mind into another.

Come, grab my hand. Let’s climb into Editor-in-Chief Francis Wong’s beautiful mind. Be sure to watch your step and maneuver as needed—visions are curating all around.

Do you see that thought floating there to your left? A gift wrapped in mohair and silk with a velvet, deep berry-purple colored bow—that’s an exclusive invite with my name on it. Upon unwrapping it, the theme quickly caught my eye—Expressions in Fabric. Francis shared with me the details in selecting this year’s theme, the charity, and the priority to recognize the strong and beautiful community of artists. Instantaneously, I knew I had to be there.

With the help of my mom, my gown was laced and cinched just right. I was off to the event.

Let’s begin the night, shall we? For this, you’ll want to glide over into my mind—you can enter through my ears, where the distant fiddles of a violin become louder as I approach the venue entrance. As I enter, I am immediately drawn in by the VESSEL Periodic Table—the covers that timestamp the magazine’s growth and 37 reasons to celebrate.

Greeted and welcomed onto my first red carpet experience, I inhaled the ambiance. As my photo was being taken, I was taking mental pictures of the immaculate setup. Passing through familiar faces, the lights of one set illuminated overhead, and I quickly embraced the arms of so many creative artists of many variations. The beaded textures, textiles, bold hues, and cultural materials gave much excitement to my senses.

Then it was showtime. The sea of guests split to make way for the runway. The brands, the designers, the models, and speeches by the hosts brought us full circle. Each element was a representation of how we’re woven together through fashion.

Once the fashion show concluded, the beats dropped, and everyone flowed back into their rhythms. I was eager to make it to the Woven in Color set—the way the cyc wall was turned into a vision of fabrics and layers had me gravitating.

Smiles, laughter, joy, and dancing paired with serving looks—made it an experience I’ll recollect over and over.

Concluding the night, my heels eventually came off, the goodbye sentiments were given, and as I glanced back once more at the atmosphere, I noticed Francis enjoying his guests. Emotions of gratitude flooded over me, and I can’t help but think—if the quote “When the present collides with some of the best days you haven’t lived yet” were a person, we collectively witnessed Francis embody just that. That in itself was the highlight of the night—uniting in celebration of the ancestral, historical legacy of fabric.

Fashion: an outward extension of an inward passion, essence, and curiosity. To embrace the vivacious and flowy, with intricacy and intention to last beyond the time it is worn. To live in the heart’s photographic memory and float among our mind’s deepest dreams.