Page 44 - South Mississippi Living - October, 2020

safe & sound
#VisitMSResponsibly
Aloha
Glamour
turning tragedy into triumph
story by Patrick Clay photos courtesy of Aloha Glamour ALEXIS WILLIAMS WAS LIVING THE DREAM.
Married in Hawaii with a child on the way, Williams was experiencing her “perfect life.” It was more than she ever expected enlisting in the Air Force after graduating from Harrison Central High School. However, just as unexpectedly, the dream quickly turned into a nightmare.
“I experienced three di erent life- altering events at once,” Williams said. On November 6, 2015, Williams tragically said goodbye to her unborn daughter, Lauren Taylor. Just two months later,
she was legally divorced and back in Mississippi. Her picture-perfect life had shattered. “I found out that there were five stages of grief, but I found myself experiencing each stage every single day,” Williams said.
Only after returning from her daughter’s first birthday celebration in Hawaii
did Williams find inspiration to seek
talk therapy – and later, retail therapy.
To honor Lauren, her “Afro-Waiian princess,” Williams decided to merge her daughter’s Hawaiian and African heritage into a new, unique brand. And so, Aloha Glamour was born.
“I always get, ‘you’re a Black girl from Mississippi with an Afro-Waiian brand. Where did that come from?’” Williams said. “Through that question, I get to share Lauren’s story.”
Sourcing fabrics from Hawaii and Africa, Aloha Glamour o ers vibrant clothing and accessories
for women and men alike. O ering
pa’u skirts, dresses, bags, shoes, and everything in between, Aloha Glamour
is sure to bring color into any wardrobe
– just like it brought color back into Williams’ life. “If it’s out there uncolorful, we have it in color,” Williams laughed.
Another unexpected situation emerged in the COVID-19 pandemic, but Williams again rose to the challenge. Since
late March, Aloha Glamour has sent approximately 10,000 masks and face coverings worldwide through sales
and donations. Continuing to follow safety guidelines from the CDC and Mississippi State Department of
Health are incredibly
important for the
health yourself
and others –
especially when
you can shop
local and
look
good while doing it.
“You have no other choice but to live
life in color. Because, when you walk in a room with all this color, people are going to look at you anyway,” Williams said with a smile.
You can shop Aloha Glamour by visiting their online
store at AlohaGlamour.
shop.
WINNERS
Last month, Coastal Mississippi hosted their Mask Up Contest. Users submitted masked-up selfies of themselves enjoying their favorite Secret Coast spots, winning prizes from local businesses who are following health and safety guidelines, including Aloha Glamour. Wear
a mask and soak in the spoils of The Secret Coast – safely!
coastalmississippi.com/ maskupcontest
Mask Up
Contest
44 | October 2020
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