Dubbed “Modern Hippie Streetwear,” piece after piece of Chavon Shree’s collection glides down Friday night’s Austin Fashion Week runway like cherished vacation snapshots.

Story by Autumn Sanders

Photos by Maya Coplin

Inspired by her recent trip to the African Amazons, Shree’s spring/summer ‘18 collection is drenched in warm, vibrant hues of green, yellow and blue. Almost every model’s look is complete with a turban, and it’s easy to see where she draws her inspiration from.

“This collection is called “African Amazon”. You really get a lot of the Amazonian colors with the emeralds and honey wheat. It’s a really fun collection,” Shree says.

Amidst the sea of billowy silhouettes and bell-sleeves are quite a bit of painted denim pieces, adorned with phrases like, “I am strong” and “I am woman”, along with various tribal patterns.“I hope people catch the gems, I’ve got some inspirational messages sprinkled in there,” Shree says. “Hopefully they see it and feel good.”

Shree, who is originally from Arkansas, began designing clothes full-time after a brief stint in corporate America. Aiming to create clothing for the free spirit, Shree describes her ideal customer as versatile and multi-faceted.“She’s a modern hippie who can go from button downs to whole caftans. Someone that isn’t put in a box,” she says.

To Shree, what stands out about her collection is the details. Shree hopes to transport the viewer to the place of her inspiration.“I travel a lot, so it’s usually inspired by my travels. Really whatever jumps out at me and grabs my attention,” Shree said.

In addition to her runway collections, Shree also runs a shop where she sells ready-to-wear fashion and refurbished denim jackets.