“Style, when rooted in truth and imagination, can move people. Cupshe didn’t just show a collection — they showed us who we are becoming.”
It was my first time stepping into the architectural wonder that is 1111 Lincoln Road, the sculptural garage-turned-event-space perched above Miami Beach. And let me tell you—what a debut.
The sun was beginning to dip as I arrived, casting that familiar Miami gold over the city, while a breeze moved through the open-air space like a whispered invitation. As I stepped into the venue, it felt less like a runway show and more like a curated dream. There was an '80s-meets-Art Deco fantasy at play: a gleaming vintage car, pastel-stroked sunset skies, and a Pink retro TV wall looping the collection’s best moments in slow, seductive rhythm. The backdrop? A skyline flex — Miami in all her glory.
‍
The audience was buzzing. Cast members from Love Island—both on the runway and in the seats—brought that new-gen celebrity energy, while industry insiders sipped cocktails and eyed the scene with anticipatory excitement.
But nothing stole the spotlight like the collection itself.
Cupshe’s “The Next Chapter” wasn’t just a showcase — it was a meditation on timelessness, elegance, and reinvention. These silhouettes — high-waisted cuts, soft plunges, curve-loving ruching — might once have been dismissed as “old-fashioned,” “too safe,” even “matronly.” But here? They felt fresh. Elevated. Irresistibly modern.
And that right there — that shift — is the story.
We’re watching a new generation fall in love with fashion that honors the body, rather than shouting over it. The era of showing it all is evolving. In its place: pieces that skim, sculpt, and celebrate. Cupshe didn’t just show swimwear — they told us, through fabric and fit, that dignity and desire are not opposites. That sophistication can still turn heads.
Now, let’s talk hair — because I have to.
Too often, we see runway beauty reduced to a single mold. And for Black women, that usually means short cuts, sculpted baby hairs, or protective styles made “palatable” to the mainstream eye. But this show? Cupshe said range.
I saw textured buns, slicked-down waves, soft braids, high crowns, natural coils, and more. It was a visual archive of Black femininity that felt both thoughtful and unapologetic. You could build a whole lookbook just on the hairstyles alone — and honestly, I hope someone does.
In that detail — in that celebration of texture, versatility, and choice — you saw the future of fashion beauty. Not dictated. Not minimized. But expressed.
As I watched Kelsey Anderson, Iskra Lawrence, JaNa Craig, Joan Vassos, and a glowing lineup of multi-generational icons walk that runway, something clicked. This wasn’t just a show. It was a moment of cultural recalibration.
Cupshe — once a brand mostly known for accessible swimwear — is now planting a very different flag: fashion with purpose, and style with soul.
They’re not just designing for trends. They’re designing for women who are becoming, women who want to feel powerful, present, and beautiful in their own skin. Women like us.
The night ended on a rooftop with music swirling and the city twinkling below us. But the conversation — the energy — stayed with me long after.
In a time where much of fashion feels driven by clicks and chaos, The Next Chapter reminded me that quiet power is still power. That style, when rooted in truth and imagination, can move people.
Cupshe didn’t just show a collection.
They showed us who we are becoming.
