While many high schoolers rushed back to the classroom post-pandemic, 17-year-old Na’Ziya Lewis from Flint, Michigan, made a bold choice. With the support of her mother, Roshawnda Collins, Lewis decided to remain in online school—not to avoid academics, but to carve out time for her entrepreneurial passions.
The shift wasn’t easy. Lewis had to give up traditional high school experiences like rallies and sports. However, the decision gave her freedom to pursue a wide array of creative interests, including rapping, dancing, modeling, and most importantly, fashion designing.
Between classes, Lewis could be found sketching designs or composing music from her bedroom or living room. Her living room often transformed into a mini design studio. There, she’d push aside the coffee table and position a mannequin to start sewing outfits with the help of her great-grandmother’s vintage sewing machine—one that had once crafted traditional African garments.
Lewis’s days are a whirlwind of creativity. After finishing her online classes, she shifts into business mode: managing orders for her fashion brand, mentoring young creatives, attending fashion shows, recording music, and perfecting her designs. Her routine, though hectic, brings her immense joy.
“Honestly, when I was younger, I decided that if I wanted to go into any field of work, then I wanted to do something that I would enjoy,” said Lewis. “People work around the clock and forget to live. I want to make a difference in my life and in the lives of others.”
That mission of making a difference has already begun. In March 2024, Lewis officially launched her fashion company, Nailuxe. The brand quickly attracted national attention, earning her features in 17 magazines including Kids Fashion Magazine and Vogue.
Since the launch, Lewis has traveled across Michigan and the U.S., participating in over 20 fashion shows including high-profile events like the Detroit Choice Awards and New York Fashion Week.
Behind the scenes, Lewis receives guidance from Adriana Lanice, CEO of 810 Fashions, who serves as her manager and mentor. Lanice, also from Flint, was once in Lewis’s shoes and chose to help her free of charge. For Lanice, the relationship is more like that of a big sister—offering support, coordinating logistics, and paving a smoother path for Lewis.
“I think with the business that she’s running and everything else that she’s doing, I feel like she’s living the life of a 25-year-old,” Lanice shared.
Lewis’s growing network has also enabled her to lift others up. Through her involvement at Mott College, she mentors young creatives—offering guidance she herself wishes she had in her early years.
“Growing up, I kind of wish I had more mentors. That’s something I believe a lot of kids could benefit from,” said Lewis.
Her passion for fashion began early. At six years old, Lewis would dress herself and secretly hide outfits she didn’t like. She once cut up family members’ socks—not for mischief, but to repurpose them into clothes for her Barbie dolls. Interestingly, she almost never touched her own socks.
As she matured, so did her goals. One of her earliest dreams was to design her own prom dress—a dream she fulfilled at just 15. That same year, a mom in Tennessee reached out through social media, asking Lewis to create a custom outfit for her daughter’s birthday. More orders soon followed, and Nailuxe evolved into a full-fledged business offering handmade dresses, bags, accessories, and custom shoes.
Each piece begins with a simple sketch and grows into a tailored work of art. Lewis continues to expand her skills through trial and error, eager to take on new design challenges—even when they fall outside her typical portfolio of streetwear, urban wear, formalwear, and casual fashion.
“Typically, it’s always a yes,” she said. “Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything I wouldn’t be able to do.”
Her mother isn’t surprised. Collins describes her daughter’s unshakable self-belief as having an “I’m it” mentality. “She will never tell you no. Even if she didn’t know how to do something, she would figure it out,” Collins said.
That spirit is alive today as Lewis, now a graduating senior, designs her third prom dress and strengthens her brand. Nailuxe stands for confidence, inclusivity, and creativity. The name blends her middle name “Nai” with “luxe,” reflecting her belief that everyone should feel like a luxury.
And soon, Lewis’s brand will stand beside luxury fashion icons on one of the world’s biggest stages—Paris Fashion Week in October 2025.
This milestone, however, is just the beginning. Lewis dreams of owning her own fashion store and continuing to inspire young artists along the way. She will also be joining 810 Fashions as their 2025 senior intern.
“It just shows that anything is possible,” Lewis reflected. “It’s only been a year, and I feel like I’ve done so much and been able to accomplish so much.”
From handmade Barbie clothes to international runways, Na’Ziya Lewis is not just designing fashion—she’s designing a legacy.
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