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Alabama native creates designs for Yolanda Adams and Bootsy Collins at World Games opening ceremony

By Chanda Temple

Grammy-award winning gospel singer Yolanda Adams wears the gown in the July 7 opening ceremony of the World Games. (Photo by Mykeon Smith)

Did you know that the corseted couture gown singer Yolanda Adams wore as she performed “The Battle is Not Yours’’ during the opening ceremony of the World Games on July 7 was designed by Alabama native Twyla Grider?

In fact, Grider is responsible for all of the costumes for the opening and closing ceremonies, including the royal purple coat with silver, gold and crystal accents worn by master of ceremonies Bootsy Collins. She also designed the World Games costumes for Alabama State University dancers, the Jacksonville State University color guard and the Sanspointe Dance Co. dancers. Overall, she is responsible for 500 costumes connected to the World Games. She also styled several celebrities appearing on stage on July 7, picking out Sheila E’s outfit, consulting with Tony! Toni! Tone! on their attire and suggesting Huntsville designer Derrick Ramey to create Birmingham poet Sharrif Simmons’ suit for the opener.

But her work is not done. On the morning of July 13, she was at the Alys Stephens Center, working with her best friend, Brooke Henderson, to apply flowers to skirts that will be worn by Alabama State University ballet dancers, who will performing as the Blind Boys of Alabama sing during the World Games closing ceremony on July 17. That is just one aspect of the closing at Protective Stadium. There’s more to come.

“It’s just going to be amazing. I cannot wait for you guys to see it,’’ said Grider, founder and CEO of her New Jersey-based Stellar Creative Collective.

Grider graduated from Auburn University in 2000 with a degree in fashion merchandising and marketing. She has an MBA from Loma Linda University in California, and she studied fashion design at Drexel University in Philadelphia. She’s spent years in the fashion industry, including designing for the lines of Jessica Simpson and William Rast. Her designs have been highlighted in InStyle and O magazine.

When it comes to the World Games, the 44-year-old Grider spent months consulting with Adams and Collins about their designs, even visiting them in their homes. She said the inspiration for Adams’ gown was for it to have an angelic feel, which is why she selected fabrics that would move. During Adams’ performance, which was also a nod to the civil rights movement, a good wind blew through and allowed the fabric to flow just like it was supposed to as choir members dressed in white robes performed behind her. To those watching the ceremony, the dress may have looked white. But actually, close up, it has a purply-pink hue that is the result of the dress with a blue base and topped with layers of pink.

World Games fashion designer Twyla Grider poses with the dress she designed for Yolanda Adams to wear during the July 7 opening ceremony at Protective Stadium. Standing with her is Allison Kelly, UAB Theatre Department Chair. (Photo by Chanda Temple)

In building the fashion concepts for the opening and closing, Grider said she took the big visions of UAB’s Dr. Henry Panion III, the artistic director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the World Games, and LRY Media Founder and CEO Rashada LeRoy ran with them. She said Dr. Panion gave her the creative freedom to produce, and she’s thankful to him and LeRoy for the opportunity. Grider is also thankful to a handful of students and staff, led by UAB Theatre Department Chair Kelly Allison, with some final touches on designs.

“I would just say that the work that Twyla has done is super human because for one person to handle the scope of a project like this, requires an amazing ability to organize, and she’s got it,’’ said Allison.

When asked how she feels about designing for the World Games, Grider said she never thought it was impossible.

“I’m very much a person of faith, and I know that I can do anything because God tells me so,’’ said the Huntsville native. “ I know I was meant to design. I know I was meant to create and so for me, it doesn’t necessarily matter how, when or where. I just know I’m meant to do it.’’

To buy tickets to the closing ceremony or other World Games sporting events, visit www.twg2022.com.