Her runway debut made a powerful case for natural beauty, nostalgic glamour, and Black women as the blueprint.

I flew into Miami Swim Week curious, hopeful, and craving something that felt less like fashion for the algorithm and more like something rooted in intention, not just aesthetics. With Black-women-owned labels like Lila Nikole and Liberty & Justice, this season organizers put a strong emphasis on inclusivity and cultural diversity. And I’ve covered enough runways to know when something deeper is at play when a designer is telling a story, not just selling a look. After sitting through a full itinerary of various swimwear shows, the designer that stuck with me most came from a fresh force whose name is quickly becoming one to know: Autty Simone.

We chatted briefly after she’d had a moment to sit in her accomplishment. Her energy was calm, focused, and quietly proud. It was Autty Simone’s first-ever fashion show, and you could see that spirit reflected in every detail of her collection. It was clear she wasn’t just designing clothes but channeling an attitude. Her show embraced early 2000s glamour—not the camp of Y2K, but the confidence and cinematic sensuality of that era’s It-girl energy. Think timeless silhouettes and swimsuits made for the kind of woman who owns the moment without much effort.

“The standard for beauty these days feels so enhanced and overly curated,” Simone shared. “I wanted to draw it back to celebrate natural beauty, different shapes, different sizes. Real women.” Her casting reflected just that. The runway, filled with Black women of all shades and silhouettes, felt less like a trend and more like a reclamation of space. It reminded us that Miami Swim Week can aim high without narrowing its gaze. A reminder that swimwear can be aspirational without leaving anyone out.

Behind the scenes, it was chaos in the way only a first fashion show can be. “It was quite a challenge but once the show started, I blacked out, almost like I wasn’t there,” she shared through laughter. “But everything was perfect. I would do it again.” What made it all the more impressive is that nearly every piece was hand-sewn, many of them one-of-ones. “Nothing is uniform because no two women are the same,” the designer explained.

Simone’s aesthetic is rooted in effortlessness and edge, a balance captured perfectly in the sequin mesh one-piece she wore on the runway herself. “That piece is basically my aura. It gave a sexy, grown, confident energy,” she said. While the collection won’t be fully available online, that exclusivity is by design. “I like to keep certain looks personal—rare. It makes them feel more special. I’ll be dropping soon.”

The creative process behind the collection was anything but local. Simone flew coast-to-coast, and even sampled overseas to source fabrics that matched her exact vision. From New York to LA, her approach was hands-on and personal, a rarity in an increasingly fast-paced, fast-fashion world. “Things don’t always go as planned, but if you give it your all, who cares,” she reflected. That attitude radiated through each look on the runway, where every model felt like a character in an Autty Simone dreamworld.

When asked what track would soundtrack the collection, Simone didn’t hesitate: Rick Ross’s “Aston Martin Music.”Smooth, iconic, unapologetically Miami. “It’s sexy, timeless, and luxury all the way—that’s exactly what this line is,” she said. And when asked who she dreams of dressing? Tyla. “She’s got that effortless edge I design for.”

The scale of this year’s Swim Week, backed by sponsors like Australian Gold and Everlast, made the intimacy of Simone’s show even more impressive. “It took six months to prepare and two full days to set up the stage at the Mondrian,” said Moh Ducis, the founder of Miami Swim Week, when asked about the behind-the-scenes hustle. For a first-timer, Simone delivered a collection with vision and great range. In a week dominated by trend-chasing, her runway felt like a love letter to Black women, to craftsmanship, and to showing up as your full self. It wasn’t just a swimwear line. It was the moment.