Brands are taking a more responsible and proactive approach for their enterprises and outputs, and Vee Collective is one such example: dedicated to aligning the steps of reducing and reusing with the possibility technology can play in design.
The more we educate ourselves with different sustainable approaches to design the more we open our mindset for effective change. Twin caught up with the brand founders about how the brand came about and their responsible approach to design.
How did Vee Collective come about?
10 years ago we launched our first brand Lili Radu – handcrafted leather bags and jewelry at a premium price point. By working closely with stockists, customers and creatives, we found that there seemed to be a great quest and hunger for accessories that were more stylistically and functionally versatile. We constantly heard that people wanted a super lightweight tote bag, comfortable to wear, effortlessly transitional and affordable, but it proved difficult to source. We wanted to create an update on the concept of the universal tote, more inclusive, carefully created, responsibly sourced and built to last.
Photo by Andreas Waldschuetz
Can you tell us a little bit about the name?
Vee is a symbolic and a literal link to the V shaped pattern and weave on many of the products that we were creating within Lili Radu accessories. Journey and evolution is an important element of life for us and so to act as a continuous reminder of the route of this starting point we decided to include this as a nod to the focus of craft.
The process of creation is very collaborative and it is a democratic, community approach that we work across, so we felt it integral that the name reflected this too, so we included the word Collective to anchor our creativity. We wish to build an interesting community, a collective of people that feel similarly towards being inclusive, support open-mindfulness, freedom and embrace the pace and movement of life. When we collaborate with artists and partners, these partnerships are selected on these shared beliefs, and so become integrated and part of the fabric of the collective.
Talk us through your responsible approach to design
Creativity has always been a focus, as well as practicality. We grew VeeCollective from the brand ethos of everyday-unlimited. Like so many people, after becoming parents your vision changes and evolves. It became so apparent that the environment we create has such impact, past our immediate visibility. This concept of responsibility, in a broader sense became extremely important to us. We felt it necessary to start navigating ways to become a more contentious brand, exploring how to deliver our vision but with less environmental compromise. We do not only want to follow, we want to be innovative and lay paths to a better and more responsible format for a fashion business.
What are the biggest challenges you see the fashion industry facing?
Two challenges that can make a great difference to how brands evolve, survive and optimise contentious creation in fashion are re-thinking the format of traditional seasonal collections and also the process of sourcing sustainable materials.
It can take time to source and develop specific components, materials and manufacturing solutions or processes. We are lucky to work with a fantastic team who are very passionate in finding wonderful qualities in recycled or re-engineered materials and components, as well as collaborating with innovative textile developers who are trailblazing the life-cycle of fabrications, components and packaging. These can take two-three seasons to source and implement and close the sustainable circle. Allowing time for creation and implementing improved-ethical choices is important but also can be complicated to balance in an industry with specific traditional season-lead collections.
We work closely with our retailors to launch our capsule- core collections and also limited edition collaborations. By creating versatile accessories we allow for variation with consideration. We are proud to have been able to launch products when they are ready, aesthetically, functionally and when we feel confident they can also deliver the values we prioritise.
How is Vee Collective finding solutions to these challenges?
We are still evolving, adding even more optimization of practices and exciting solutions to our way of creation daily. Our goal is to make the best product possible in the best way possible. Our products are created in recycled Nylon fabric, linings and recycled thread/yarns. We use long-lasting aluminium hardware to extend product-life and recycled or no-trace packaging. We ship our products by sea to try to off-set carbon foot print and always look to find ways in which we can offer better with less-impact.
It is not just the product that we look to invest in, we also believe in supporting creative communities and social-sustainability practices too.
We try to approach change with little but honest steps and to be open in the conversation of change. It is a process.
What positive change can you see on the horizon between fashion and sustainability?
We feel that talking about responsibility is important, but it can also have so many meanings. The word sustainability needs to be un-packed- it holds so much. As an industry, we feel that we are all still learning how to incorporate or live the process authentically. Support around interest in change and transparency is now becoming more widespread and that makes problem-solving feel less isolating.
It can be far more expensive to implement the steps and processes needed to be a more sustainably created product, but now, due to the more recent demands and expectations by the consumer, this has helped to align the journey of the final price tag. We try to find ways that keep our totes functional and approachable in every sense including the price.
Recently we have been selected as one of the brands to be included in the fantastic Selfridges Project-Earth campaign. This is a great initiative to foster and lead questioning on how things are made and to give everyone more earth-conscious, interesting options to explore in luxury retail.
It is exciting to connect and partner with so many other creative-leaders who are exploring how to reinvent the fashion industry and to help close the loop on waste.
Collaboration as the core of creative vision: Colville founders Lucinda Chambers and Molly Molloy discuss the cultivation of an authentic vision with Marte Mei and Viviane Sassen for Twin.
There is never just a single solitary eye in fashion. No isolated roving thoughts, or an action not inspired by another. Colville might be named after a street in London, but its name feels drawn from the family of collaboration, cross-pollination, creative inspiration.
Founded by Lucinda Chambers and Molly Molloy, there are so many creatives, resources, ideas at play it feels like more than two: it is a river of thoughts, streams pulling in and rolling through.
In anticipation of their most recent collaboration with Marte Mei and Viviane Sassen, we spoke to the four respective collaborators about the freedoms of sharing visions and the interconnectivity of the creaive landscape.
If 2020 has taught us anything, do you think it is the vital importance of collaboration and creative cross-pollination?
Lucinda Chambers
I think I have always felt the joy of collaborations, not just during this time. I truly think no man is an island and it is one of the greatest pleasures to have a criss-crossing of minds, hearing others’ point of view and expressing ourselves creatively. Also, as I get older, I let go more, not needing to hold on to my ideas or my way of doing things. I enjoy the freedom of collaborative work, and I feel very fortunate to have identified amazing collaborators to take the journey, and some have found me!
Molly Molloy
Absolutely, I think the incredible moments that happened for me during the first lockdown were the ideas and collaborations that came out of it. We worked with people all over the world to knit squares for blankets that we will eventually auction next year for a women’s refuge here in Milan. It was moving to involve so many people and to read the letters they sent along with the squares. I also took part in a group talk with BoF and many other designers, everyone coming together in a think tank to exchange ideas and make changes. These and many other projects we started during this year have reinforced our vision of collaboration. This was something we all talked about at the beginning of Colville: we all have collaborative natures and it just makes the creative process fresh and inspiring.
Marte Mei
I think 2020 has showed us how fragile our systems are. The interconnectivity of our global economy but also as a species within the ecosystem. Hopefully it has also showed people how much we depend on a healthy ecosystem around us, and how much we depend on that as a species to survive.
Viviane Sassen
I believe the vital importance of collaboration and creative cross-pollination is something of all times.
How can fashion cultivate authentic visions in a creative climate in flux?
Lucinda Chambers
Now more than ever creativity flourishes. You must be authentic these days – people’s money is precious. They want to know where it is going and what the journey was. There are so many good stories out there and I think things are being scrutinised in a way that’s never happened before, and that’s a good thing. So, the more authentic you are, the better tale you have to tell.
Molly Molloy
To quote Louise Bourgeois “Tell your own story and you will be interesting”. I think what stands out are designers being authentic and working from their hearts and creating what they believe in.
Marte Mei
Fashion to me has always been about making something that triggers a new vision, sets a new tone or creates new examples. In the context of this project, it was all about freedom about coming together as a woman-only team. We also worked very local and with low carbon emissions and a very small team. The shoot took place in Amsterdam, the clothes were sent do us by mail, and nobody had to travel for the job apart from biking to the studio. I hope that becomes the new norm of creating within the industry.
Viviane Sassen
By embracing true and original creative minds and give them a platform. Like Marte got through her collaboration with Colville!
How has this image series come about, and do you think it expresses a convergence of unique viewpoints that come together as a greater whole?
Lucinda Chambers
Molly contacted Marte Mei. We have worked with her from the very beginning of Colville. One of the beautiful things about Colville is the friendships we have all made along the way, for years now, way before we dreamt of having our own company. We have gathered around us a band of really dear and important friends who are creatives. Collaboration and giving everyone a voice is something that is very important to us, always has been. It’s about relationships, friendships and respect. In that sense we feel that Colville is a real collective. A meeting of the minds.
Molly Molloy
Marte has worked with Colville from the very beginning, I worked with her creatively in the past and Lucinda and I love her vision, use of colour and sensitivity to what surrounds her. What’s amazing about letting go of control is what it brings back to you and how it surprises you. We didn’t give Marte or Viviane any constraints, they created something together that was for us completely unique and took the clothes somewhere else. It was an incredible privilege to work with two such inspiring women.
Marte Mei
To me, the process felt like a chain reaction of appreciation and admiration. Both the textile design collaboration, the set design, the image making, all felt like an overlapping patchwork of creation without clear borders. I found that really special in the way that Lucinda and Molly approached me for the textile design. They asked if I wanted to create a special follow up of an artwork I’d made in the past. I find it fascinating that they acknowledge potential within that sculpture from paper and wood, to become a piece of clothing. To see their brand as a space without borders, entering the field of art and going beyond their set team of designers by having me as an outsider creator woven into their collection.
Viviane Sassen
It was a super organic collaboration; I have known Marte for years and we’ve worked together so many times – she’s one of my muses so to speak. The whole process of working on this project together was very intuitive and smooth and a lot of fun. It is also a matter of mutual trust and understanding, that makes for a good collaboration, and Marte and I absolutely recognize that in each other.
What does fashion and photography come to learn from another?
Lucinda Chambers
I think they are totally intertwined. As is art and fashion, theatre and fashion, music and fashion. Fashion can be expressed so beautifully through photography. Fashion and in particular clothes are the tools we use for storytelling. The narrative and dialogue that fashion and photography has can create something wonderful, standalone images or a drawn out tale. Clothes facilitate that. And they can also be the inspiration, the beginning of the photograph.
Molly Molloy
They are ever evolving together, it’s so exciting when you see the two combine in original and unique ways, it’s such an incredible feeling when you see a shoot that’s inspiring, it will stay with you for years if not ever. It’s like moving image and sound, the two go hand in hand and can really evoke emotion.
Marte Mei
I think that it was a revolutionary experience for me as a former model, to take on a different role within the dynamic of the team I really look up to. Having designed the textile, and the set design, but also modelling within the project. On a personal level I still think there is a lot to learn in being comfortable within that role of being both the creator as the subject of creation. For instance, when we were working with the clay on my body, I wanted to just trust the image of Irena within applying it to me, so when she asked for my opinion to guide her, it was hard for me to switch between having a creative vision to the outcome of project but also being subjected to her creative expression in the project and onto my body.
Viviane Sassen
I’ve always perceived my fashion photography as a great way to express myself; to play, to experiment, and to collaborate with other creative people. I also work as an artist and that is a much more solitary process, so I love working as a fashion photographer too, as it enables me to work together in a group, have a mutual goal, and create images together with others who are often super inspiring. In that sense, I feel I’ve learned so much from collaborations with stylists, designers, models, hair & make-up artists!
What does fashion and photography come to learn from another?
Lucinda Chambers
I always learn from Molly and everyone really, we have an incredible team, Danny, Alice and Luisa. I think I’ve learnt from Molly to try things out even if they are out of my comfort zone, out of my field of vision, to give things a go and see where it leads or takes you. Also not always getting my own way and that’s fine. I’ve learnt to let go. And to like vegetables more.
Molly Molloy
I’m learning every minute of the day being a founder with Lucinda we are both on a huge learning curve having our own business and bringing people in to Colville that constantly keep it evolving and exciting.
Viviane Sassen
I really love watching Marte work, the refined gestures she makes and the thing(s) she creates, both while modelling and while working on her own art; it all comes from the same source, the creative energy which is within her. I recognize her inner drive to create beauty, and I admire her sense of colour, texture, and shape. It’s a true joy to watch her work evolve and refine over time!
What was the last thing that made you feel inspired?
Lucinda Chambers
Well, everything really, but probably the leaves on the pavement tonight coming home, I wanted to collect them all, the colours, shocking reds and yellows, blowing around. Beautiful.
Molly Molloy
Heavy Metal by Osamu Matsuo, I hadn’t seen it for a while and forgot how beautiful it is!
Marte Mei
Nature is a limitless source of inspiration to me, being inside due to corona and wintertime limits the possibility of going outdoors, so for me this is a time for reading and thinking.
Viviane Sassen
A few documentaries I recently watched about climate change, and how some new technologies and (futuristic) solutions will be able to help humankind towards a better, more sustainable future.
A dedication to dancehall – the fashion, the community and the music: Wales Bonner’s campaign is titled ‘Lovers Rock’; an ode to the work of British-Jamaican photographer John Goto. Photographed by Liz Johnson Artur, this line includes distinct pieces that hark back to the lively culture of the British youth in the 1970s: the donkey jackets, repurposed 1960s Saville Row tailoring, and moleskin double-breasted blazers adorned with found buttons.
Based on the British-born music genre ‘Lovers’ Rock’, which was a style that used the softer notes of reggae to create this passionate sub-genre. The romantic musings that were found in the dancehall scene and the underground blues parties created a convivial connection between black and Asian communities; this is shown through the integrated Adidas and Wales Bonner collaboration. An eclectic mix of colours can be seen in the Adidas freizeit in crimson, ochre and emerald green.
There is a heavy emphasis placed on Caribbean culture in the campaign, with mod jackets in two-tone tweeds and windowpane check mixed with crocheted sportswear silhouettes. The hand-knit beanies crafted in raw Scottish shetland wool, courtesy of Stephen Jones, reflects a strong Rastafarian presence. The military influence is also felt, with the inclusion of a tobacco gabardine cadet jacket and a navy twill pea coat fastened with Jamaican gold brass buttons.
From the turtlenecks layered with tailored jackets, the ankle-length skirts matched with dark tights and knitted sweater vests, this launch is a love letter to the vibrant culture in 1970’s Britain.
Mansur Gavriel is bringing love and community to 2020 with a new campaign to mark the launch of the brand’s latest collection.
Featuring artist and model Laura Morgan and Twin cover star Dilone, alongside LGBTQ activist Jari Jones and social media maven Parker Kit Hill, the ‘Love Forward’ celebrates individuality and creativity.
In an exclusive interview for Twin, Alexander McQueen muse Laura Morgan explores her love of fashion, and what’s getting her through 2020.
Laura Morgan for Mansur Gavriel ‘Love Forward’ campaign
What does fashion mean to you? I think fashion is a lot more influential that people give it credit for. I’ve worked in front of, and behind the camera in the fashion and entertainment industry for 23 years. For me my work as a model is about trying to express myself as much as possible within the constraints of the business of fashion. To keep pushing in the hopes there will be some breakthroughs. I know I am not alone in this process. I believe fashion has the ability to challenge norms, and stereotypes and bring what would have been marginalized perspectives into the mainstream. I believe it has the responsibility to do so.
Laura Morgan for Mansur Gavriel ‘Love Forward’ campaign
Speaking of self expression, 2020 has been quite a year – what has been your outlet?
Art. It’s the only thing that helps me attempt to make sense of this world, and of the situation that is going on around and in us. I try to bring creative self-expression to everything I do. Be it an interview such as this, modeling, my art. In this precise moment I am concentrating on developing my art to be able to understand and communicate what I feel so passionately about. I remain close to the people I love and respect, and collaborate with other artists. I feel the reason we are in this situation in the world right now is because we believe in the prevailing idea that the individual is more important than community. Humans are pack animals. We need each other to survive. The communities that have the longest life span are those who deem success by their relationships and not by the amount of money they make.
Where do you find your inspiration? Life.
If you could sum up 2020 in one word, what would it be? Disbelief.
What is the one thing that you are saying goodbye to in 2020? Expectations.
Laura Morgan for Mansur Gavriel ‘Love Forward’ campaign
What do you hop to communicate through this campaign? And what does being a part of it mean to you? Through this campaign Mansur Gavriel has chosen to work with an all-female crew and a range of models that reflect the diversity in society, rather than the very narrow one that most of the fashion world represents. This is really important to me.
Collaboration: one of the greatest learnings of how to remain hopeful in a future uncertain. A vital tenet for Tekla since the start, the value of visions from a plethora of spectrums has given a freedom of expression from a broad playing field to the brand. Working with photographer Laura Coulson, whose intuitive imagery of the everyday holds an exceptional magic, a series of images exploring families and friends with those innate ties that can often never be expressed… but maybe captured on film.
Speaking to Tekla, we talk about knowledge exchange, capturing a particular emotion and finding a common language.
What role does collaboration play with Tekla and your own creative expression?
We like to collaborate with a variety of people whose creative work we find interesting, whether it is with a photographer or a designer, the collaboration itself is a process. You need to find a common language. It is always interesting to get together with other creatives and see things through their eyes to exchange experience and knowledge.
What first attracted you to the photography of Laura Coulson?
I’ve known Laura for ten years now and have been following her works ever since she started taking pictures. She has her unique way of seeing the world, which she projects into her creations. Her ability to see the potential for strong photography in any ordinary situation and capture a particular emotion, makes her images very honest.
What do you think she managed to capture in these images she created with you?
Laura’s idea was to capture the loving spirit of spending time as a family and friends, which we’ve shot during the late summer in London parks. I’ve found that this time has brought everything back to basics and made us refocus our attention on celebrating happiness in the here and now. Appreciating the little things we might have forgotten to enjoy, and I think Laura achieved that abundantly.
How are these emotions captured intrinsic to what you stand for?
I think the honesty and emotions which Laura encapsulates in her works is something we can relate to when it comes to the values in Tekla.
Alexander McQueen’s new addition to their line of luxury bags encompasses elegance and practicality. The Tall Story bags are the taller sister of the previously released “The Story” and includes bags with a contrast colour on the sculptural lining of the tote. First spotted on the Autumn/Winter 2020 runway, the sophisticated bag includes the Alexander McQueen seal on a leather tag.
This tote bag is not only an elegant staple, it is also constructed with an executive interior and features pockets for a laptop, phone, and wallet. The foldable metallic handles make the bag easy to hold or hang over the shoulder via the supple leather straps.
The Tall Story bags are available in black with oversized quilting and with a red lining finish. The line also includes a black stamped croc design and a handmade patchwork style. To view the full collection, visit AlexanderMcQueen.com
Rihanna has branded herself as more than just a musician. Through the release of the brand “Fenty” she has stormed the beauty and fashion world, breaking down barrier after barrier. On the 2nd October 2020, she invited the world to the second instalment of her fast-paced, high-energy: Savage X Fenty lingerie showcase.
The hour-long show features unique pieces from the new line, stitched together with elaborate live performances. Each dance section transitions seamlessly into a catwalk, all choreographed by world-renowned dancer and choreographer: Parris Goebel.
“Inclusion” was the phrase of the show. The final section introduced the “Men’s Shop”, featuring a broad menswear’s selection, with sizes that go up to 3XXL.
“[Rihanna] kicked the door down. And she opened up the world to all these possibilities of makeup, fashion lingerie, all that being for every size, every shape. That’s some ballsy, powerful shit” – Yusef Williams.
The show pulls the audience in from start to finish, each shot adorned with enticing visuals. Pyrotechnics, a mechanical garden of flowers and a factory filled with conveyor belts, all add to the elaborate narrative. Behind the scene shots reveal Rihanna’s modus operandi and the genius behind her vision with her team. Rihanna’s process and the outcome of Savage X Fenty’s success is all a manifestation of things that inspired her.
“Inspiration can come from anything. What makes it unique is your own interpretation on that message, that colour scheme, that texture. And so everything that I do is going to be personal to me when it comes to Savage” – Rihanna.
One of the most fascinating things about Alexander McQueen’s FW20 womenswear collection is the amount of intricacy and sentimental value each look and garment holds. “The collection is a love letter to women and to families, colleagues and friends. We went to Wales and were inspired by the warmth of its artistic and poetic heritage, by its folklore and the soul of its craft. The woman is courages , grounded, bold: heroic. There is a sense of protection in the clothes, of safety and comfort, evoked through quilting and blankets. The hearts are a symbol of togetherness, of being there for others, ” explained creative director SaraH Burton .
One of the main pieces that from the collection that embodies this sentiment is the Tailor’s Quilt, which took inspiration inspiration from the allegorical tailor’s quilt at the St Fagans National Museum of History in Cardiff that withholds a rich history of being hand-stitched over sixteen years from 1842 by master tailor James Williams with over four and a half thousand patches.
Throughout the collection the quilt is featured in two looks including a suit with single-breasted jacket and straight legged trousers and a single breasted coat with a swallow tail constructed in an embroidered patchwork of red, damson, ivory, grey and black — all created from up cycled in-house stock of British worsted wools and military flannels from past seasons. To find out more about the looks from the FW20 collection visit AlexanderMcQueen.com
Last weekend Fashion East celebrated the twentieth anniversary of their multi-designer showcase, commemorating their work with 144 designers & brands and innovators of British fashion.
‘Looking back over twenty years of helping London’s best designers is wild! I’m incredibly grateful I’ve been able to do what I love doing best. I wouldn’t change a thing. It is an honour to get to work with and present these four fabulous talents this season. I am in awe of their visions, creativity, optimism and the resilience they have shown throughout these difficult circumstances, ’ commented Fashion East Founder Lulu Kennedy.
For the occasion , in light of the current social distancing measures, the house proceeded with this year’s SS21 showcase with a digital exhibit with a roster of four designers including up and coming names like MAXIMILIAN, GOOMHEO, Nensi Dojaka & Saulnash, each of whom brought something new to the table.
Maximillian Spring Summer 2021
Trinidadian designer Maximillian pulled on his cultural heritage with a collection that referenced Trinidad & Tobago’s annual carnival that was born from a resisistance of Eurocentric traditions following their emancipation in 1834. The collection visualised a contemporary evolution of some of the key dresses of the era including starched Jean-Baptiste Belley styled white cravats made into keyhole halter tops paired with low-slung waist pants and micro miniskirts. He paid homage to contemporary carnival costumes through details like hammered silk skirts trimmed with goose boots feathers, bralettes cut with harnessed backs & custom headpieces made by Nasir Mazhar. The collection was a celebration of Caribbean heritage and modern black identity which was also reflected in the way it was presented, which was a majestic shooting in collaboration with photographer Rafael Pavarotti & stylist Ib Kamara.
GOOMHEO Spring Summer 2021
On her second showcase with Fashion East, designer GOOMHEO took on an alternate view from her last perspective of flourishing romance for a sensuous vouyeristic timbre. She presented a collection influenced by the erotic paintings of German artist Paul Wunderlich. She translates his visions of the nude female figures with to a curvilinear heavy draped female with silk chiffon sashes , roll neck crop tops & low waistband. She created a hide and peek effect with each piece, exploring what it means to be watched and be the subject of ones attentions.
Nensi Dojaka Spring Summer 2021
On a similar note, designer Nensi Dojaka played with abstract shapes and shades around the female body. “The lightness of movement I witnessed in a Sylvie Guillem ballet at Sadler’s Wells came to mind. During lockdown from the peace of my studio, I also had the opportunity to explore the art of draping,” Dojaka explained.
The collection was composed of new capsules of swimwear, body wear and long evening dresses. Backless bodysuits , dresses and swimsuits made in lycra, with different shades of black, caramel , and sepia with sheer chiffon, stretch silk , jersey, tulle and organza. For a playful interpretation, the designer also collaborated with photographer Harley Weir and stylist Francesca Burns for a series of 12 images.
Saul Nash Spring Summer 2021
Saul Nash’s third collection with Fashion East is his Spring/Summer 21 collection entitled Flipside which he created around the qualities of movement, function and transformation.
“I wanted the pieces to open up and move, with this image in my head of men spinning in space. After lockdown I took a trip to the coast, which gave me a feeling of escapism. It made me think about transformation, about shape-shifting through what we wear,” he commented.
The collection was inspired by 1890’s dance pioneer Loie Fuller and the costumes of the Sufi whirling dervishes which led him to think how seemingly generic garments could be transformed, encouraging a sense of release. Many of the pieces literally flip, like a 3-D tracksuit which is green on one side and printed on the other, a reversible polo-shirt among others. Footwear is provided by Nike, customised by Hernan Guardamagna. Meanwhile, Saul’s shin bags are a collaboration with Raphael El Baz, and can be worn at the ankle, or alternatively on the arm.
Earlier this week Saint Laurent presented their Men’s Spring Summer 2021 collection in a digital project curated by Creative Director Anthony Vaccarello entitled “No Matter How Long The Night Is.” The collection which is presented in video format set against the various backdrops of Paris, New York & Beijing is a unique fusion of different artistic mediums including video, augmented reality, 3D lenticular imagery, street posters, flags and many others . View the full video & collection below and on ysl.com
In 2018, Metallic Inc. launched Homecoming, a festival in Lagos, Nigeria combining panel talks, parties, workshops and brand activations to spotlight the influence of African music, art, sport and fashion culture around the world, bringing together up-and-coming African talent and established industry names in a celebration of creativity across the diaspora.
In the wake of COVID19, Browns Fashion have joined forces with Homecoming to present an exclusive experience of Homecoming 2020. Titled “Ni Agbaye”, meaning “in the world”, Homecoming and Browns have created what can be described as an unfolding e-zine universe, focussing on the influence that Afro culture has on global pop culture, exploring cultural exchange through the work of some of the diaspora’s most pioneering creative minds. Combining fashion editorials, online panel talks, interviews, custom artwork and in-depth think pieces from notable African publications.
Featured writing commissions will explore the exportation of African arts, culture and the impact of music by The Native, The Republic explores the disruption of narrative by African designers to carve spaces for themselves, Nigerian Gothic has created a series of collages to create new visuals with a modern guise, and the Motherlan create a photo story capturing their extended community.
Aiming to celebrate the cultural exchange of Africa with the world, there will be a physical presence through Yinka Ilori’s installation and listening takeovers in the Immersive Room by Fela Kuti and Obongjayar at the Browns East store in London, and also as ever an almighty focus on the global digital stage, with playlists from the likes of Mowalola and a focus on brand storytelling and cultural exchange from the new Nigerian brands supported online. Explore further here.
Last weekend Prada officially announced the renovation of their ground floor boutique at the Harrods department store in London with a transformation that aligns more with their Milanese heritage. The revamped space features a black and white chequered floor, in reference to the historic Prada store in Milan, as well as 3D covering with graphics that speak to the historic prints of the house, which are paired their signature shade of boutique green.
To mark this special occasion , the house also scheduled the launch of an exclusive Prada spazzolato leather handbag , which was first seen in their SS21 digital presentation not too long ago. Carefully crafted in spazzolato leather , the accessory comes in two styles and will be sold in black , white , orchid and aqua.
Traditional renaissance art is a genre that was created with a central focus on European history, religion and identity which was mainly if not entirely centred around whiteness. However upon our recent discovery of the Atlanta based visual artist Osaze Akil’s work, we found ourselves moved by his method of re-framing some of these traditionally white narratives to include black identities, while also offering contemporary takes on themes of black divinity with influences from African cultures spirituality and fashion. His work speaks volumes in such a way where it uses different elements and smaller details that ultimately come together to tell stories that speak proudly to both modern & traditional black heritage and culture. Which is why Twin chose to sit down with the artist himself to gain a more accurate idea of the process, inspirations and aspirations behind his work.
Tell me about your journey, how did you first start painting ?
I’ve been painting for most of my life. As a child, my mother painted leisurely so I think I picked that up from her. I started painting for myself when I was about six or seven, but I was drawing and sketching well before that. I had all of these ideas and ways that I saw and interpreted the world, and putting them on canvas always felt like a sweet release. If I didn’t have the language [verbally], I had the language to express myself through the art I created.
Security Rising by Osaze Akil
What or who would you say is your biggest influence/s?
I have major influences that all contribute to my art in different ways. The first would be Toni Morrison. She’s one of my favorite authors and I’ve always been drawn to the mysticism that she alludes to in her work. The idea that black people have a sort of magic, that isn’t self contained, but shared and experienced communally was always something that intrigued me. With my paintings, I definitely want them to feel magical- that there’s an inherent magic that isn’t forced, but still felt by anyone looking at the piece. Another big influence of mine is Axel Vervoordt.
He is an interior designer and art collector, and often references the energy of a space or of an object being transformative. For me, I think of “spaces” more metaphorically. I think about the spaces that black people have been provided, and have been made by us for ourselves, and how they hold the weight that they do because of the energy that we’ve brought into them. Most of the subjects in my paintings are indoors, or enclosed in some sense, which reinforces my idea of us bringing our magic and our energy into the confines of our reality and making it work for us. We’re often put in boxes, and yet we make them beautiful, exciting, and influential.
Revolutionized Luxury by Osaze Akil
A lot of your work in many ways feel quite sacred, with some even holding biblical titles , what part does religion or spirituality play in your process ?
I grew up in church. Although I don’t consider myself to be a fundamentalist, I’ve always felt that I am guided, protected, and supported by something much larger than myself. My belief in God is a core part of my identity, if not the most important. I feel that God has given me a gift, which is my talent, and I honor that by referencing God’s work through me in my pieces. Painting has become not only a meditative practice for me but a form of worship. I also often reflect on the importance that spirituality has held in my culture, as an African American. Since slavery, our connection to God and the way that we worship has been the foundation for a lot of ways that we operate today, intraculturally and with the world in general.
Tignon Law by Osaze Akil
As a contemporary artist, what role would you like your work to play in modern day society ?
I feel that I’m rewriting history, and telling a new story. When walking through art museums as a child, I never saw depictions of black people being exalted, significant, worthy of comfort, or abundance. I feel that had I seen more of that growing up, I wouldn’t have lived thinking that so many positive things that we can get from life could only be afforded to me if I wasn’t who I was. I want those younger than me to have that representation, and to know that even though our past in this country started in bondage, our future can be free.
Shadrach, Meshac, and Abednego in the Fiery Furnace by Osaze Akil
What’s the part of your process that you find most exciting?
I love when I first get an idea, and I do the pre-sketch. I sketch out my paintings on paper about 4-5 times before I actually put anything on canvas. Going through that process, being introspective, and understanding what I want to say through it is very gratifying. Also, the end when it’s completed is also a very exciting feeling.
Do you have a favourite piece of yours?
I don’t think I’ve yet made my favorite piece. If I had to choose, it would be my “Madonna and Child” piece. We haven’t seen many depictions of Christ or the Virgin Mary as anything other than white. So, challenging that felt important to me.
Peaceful Isolation by Osaze Akil
How was your lockdown experience? Did you find yourself more or less inspired?
I am definitely more inspired in lockdown than before. Before, there were so many distractions and interactions that I had on a daily basis that took my mind away from creating. Now, I’m forced to sit with myself, learn new things, and focus on things in different ways which automatically sparks inspiration.
Where can one purchase your work ?
My work can be purchased on my website! osazeakil.com
Earlier this year Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe Hamburg inaugurated their run of the ongoing exhibition Peter Lindbergh: Untold Stories. The exhibit features unseen work of the iconic German fashion photographer and is the first ever survey exhibition curated by Peter Lindbergh himself prior to his passing in September 2019. It celebrates the legacy of his work with a collection of 140 photographs accumulated over two years which offer an insight into his extensive oeuvre, spanning from the 1980’s the present day.
“The first time I saw my photographs on the walls of the exhibition mock-up, I was startled, but in a positive way. It was overwhelming to be thus confronted with who I am,” Lindbergh explained during an interview in 2019. His famous black and white work is known for transcending their own context and giving an alternate spin on fashion photography by finding ways to not have his images centred around the fashion.
“The exhibition allowed me to reconsider my images in a non fashion context. The presentation aims to open the photographs to different interpretations and perspectives. However, I don’t try to claim that my pictures aren’t fashion photographs, that wouldn’t be true either. I insist on the definition “fashion photography because for me that terms doesn’t mean that one has to depict fashion — photography is much bigger than fashion, it is a part of contemporary culture, ” he commented.
The showcase is divided into three chapters, two of which are large scale installations: opening with Manifest, which offers an insightful thought provoking immersive introduction to the late photographer’s perspective of fashion photography; while the central section features never before experimental works of the photographers shown in pairs or groups; and it then closes with a film installation entitled Testament (2014) which is an unveiling of a hither unknown side of the character of the iconic image maker featuring some unexpected and emotionally moving subjects. The exhibition is currently on at the Museum für Kunst & Gewerbe Hamburg until the the 1st of November and is also accompanied by a 320 page hardcover catalogue with 150 images and exclusive interviews with the photographer. For more information visit MKG.
Just last week Dior’s Maria Grazia Chiuri presented her Cruise 2021 collection with a scenic backdrop of Lecce, Italy. The show was a celebration of the magical beauty of arts and crafts, which was set to the melodic rhythms of a cathartic dance by the La Notte della Taranta Foundation, choreographed by Sharon Eyal to the music of Paolo Buonvino
. Throughout the collection, even the silhouettes pay tribute to the Pugliese region with drawings that celebrate the beauty of nature in the region. They also all bear the motto of the workshops at the Costantine Foundation. Maria Grazia Chiuri collaborated with artist Pietro Ruffo, who paid homage to Chrisitian Dior’s iconic Dior dress from 1949, imagined a field with a constellation of wheat sheaves, while narratives of of untamed nature were transposed onto shirts and shorts. Over three months the duo produced over 250 illustrations with inspiration from the book De Florum Cultura , which was published in 1638 by Giovanni Battista Ferrari.
Fendi’s latest episode in their #MeAndMyPeekaboo series features LA based pop culture superstar duo Chloe x Halle. In creation of the campaign, the duo was given complete creative control to conceive the project with the creative team of their choice.
Shot at their home in LA, the video was created with the Art Direction of Andrew Makadsi, the vision of videographer Derek and photographer Julian Dakdouk, who manage to capture the unbreakable bond between the sisters.
For the video, they commence with a stylish breakfast accessorised with the FENDI Peekaboo bags, after which we’re treated to shots of the duos divine natural beauty as they take a dive in the pool and enjoy a day by the pool. Following this they preparing for a performance of their lates with some major hair and makeup glam.
Throughout the video, the wardrobe features pieces of FENDI’s Pre-Fall 2020 collection styled by Zerina Akers , complemented with some of the brand’s latest Peekaboo bags including and edition with an accordion-frame shape & inside pockets offered in smooth leather or precious skins.
The #MeAndMyPeekaboo series began last year featuring 10 iconic women across the world which included names like Kim Kardashian, Kris Jenner and North West. Each episode includes versions of the Peekaboo bags which have been seen on the latest runways. To shop the Peekaboo visit Fendi.
Last week on the occasion of Milan Digital Fashion Week, Prada put their best virtual feet forward with a presentation entitled “Multiple Views SS21 – The Show That Never Happened.” The digital show — which is allegedly Miuccia Prada’s last solo show before the Raf Simons partnership — took the form of a 10 minute live video, that showcase the SS21 collection interpreted through the lenses of 5 different creatives, being Terence Nance, Joanna Piotrowska, Martine Syms, Juergen Teller and Willy Vanderperre. Each artist created a film that showcased a different view of the Prada collection and at large , the Prada ideology and identity, which served as a representation of flexibility and multiplicity, in a time where many are not able to commune, a different kind of community is then established.
Throughout the collection, this season the house opted to focus on simple garments with use, value and longevity as the key themes. The collection is constructed around the quintessence of the house of Prada, its meaning, how clothes are worn , where and why. The meaning of multiplicity and compound uses , as paradoxes through sportswear, formality, classic and futurism are explored. The collection was co-ed and for menswear the silhouette was sharp, narrow and fitted , while for women couture volumes and treatments were explored. Leathers, cottons, taffeta , nylon , and other innovative fabrics are tailored with the flexibility to tell the stories that the wearer wants them to tell. Overall the SS21 collection is a much needed dose of simplicity during a time of chaos, the type of simplicity that can bend to whatever way you choose and embrace complexity yet still avoid chaos.
For Men’s SS21 , Dior’s menswear artistic director Kim Jones shared his mic with Ghanian-Born Vienna trained artist Amoako Boafo for a collaboration which presented the fruit of a cultural conversation between the two artisans. The conversation initially began in 2019, when they met at the Robell Museum in Miami and ever since, the two have been in discussion about their love and admiration for each other’s work.
Kim Jones personally has a special love for African work as he considers the continent as home having spent years of childhood travelling across Botswana, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Kenya & Ghana which allowed him to feel a genuine connection to Boafo’s work that speaks to a contemporary African lifestyle . The artist is known for work like his Black Diaspora portraits which are an exploration of his identity and perceptions of Blackness and Black Masculinity. Aspects of these paintings are transposed onto garments with haute couture techniques. The collection used the artist’s work as base, which essentially was not only evident in the techniques used to reproduce his paintings but also through the colour palette used in the collection. Shades of fluorescent yellow, blue, coral and green create a delicate colour scheme while other pieces acted as a canvas for embroideries , knitwear and intarsia. The collection , as described by the house as “a reinvention of its passion for excellence through captivating dialogues between fashion and creation in all its forms, from painting to film .”
This week a new zine model entitled LIMBO made its debut which was created out of a lack of government support for the arts and creative industries during these difficult times. The LIMBO model , launched by publisher Nick Chapin (Frieze, Vice) is a community drive model with the aim of supporting out-of-work creative minds. The first issue edited by Francesca Gavin, Art Editor for Twin, Kaleidoscope, Dazed & NTS, with creative direction by David Lane of The Gourmand, features a myriad of almost 100 artists including Wolfgang Tillmans, Peaches, Collier Schorr, Tyler Mitchell, Brain Dead, Paul Noble , Georgina Johnson , Carol Bove, Honey Dijon among others who have contributed their art, ideas and humour born out of the global lockdown.
The zine is seen as somewhat of a time capsule , offering creative insight, hope , humour and vision during a time where everything seems so unsure. The publication is a 176 page book that recalls DIY magazines with a method of patchwork , created with expressive work with lo-fi techniques. The magazine also offers a non-traditional approach to publishing as all profits from advertising and issue sales will be distributed directly to the contributors and the staff who need it most. Some of whom have opted to waive their fees and agreed to allow their portions of the profits to be donated to those in need like Vivienne Westwood, Wolfgang Tillmans, Tyler Mitchell and others.
Not long ago London based boutique Browns Fashion launched an initiative entitled “A Family Affair” that celebrates different types of family like bonds. Their latest installation of this series was released today and guest edited by London based stylist extraordinaire Ib Kamara who documented his local network by exploring notions of future and community through his own lens and that of his contributors during these key moments of pause throughout the quarantine.
For the project, Kamara tapped key figures from all corners of the creative worlds including fashion, beauty, film, music, art and gaming. Namely Musician Misha Notcutt who explores the possibility for change with her ‘Mix it Up’ playlist that also features singer-songwriter Nadiah Adulting-Gyamfi in part two. In more visually impactful explorations photographers Justin French and Elliot Jerome Brown Jr share their thoughts through photography, while Rafael Pavarotti discusses his spiritual collaboration with Ib in a video interview. Filmmaker Stephen Isaac Wilson presents a number of films inspired by collections from his favourite designers at Browns while make up maverick Daniel Sallstrom does a video makeup tutorial also made into an instagram filter. Hair Guru Virginie Moreira explores the paths towards liberation in a shoot styled by Gareth Wrighton while curator critic, and art historian Osei Bonsu is interviewed by Ib on “The Power of The Editing” in the luxury space. For the project Ib shot and styled each one of the London based contributors listed above.
Yannick by Ib Kamara
Ottawa by Ib Kamara
King king by Ib Kamara
Howa by Ib Kamara
“When Browns approached me to work on a community project I immediately said yes as I wanted to celebrate some of the amazing talent that I am very humble to know and collaborate with, there are so many that I am blessed to know so it was incredibly hard to get to this list. For us to progress as people we need community as with community we can start to understand each other better, we can love each other better and we can work to build each other up – that’s the family I am part of in London. For this series, you can expect to see amazing heartfelt work from everyone contributing. I am very happy to see a body of work come together that speaks to them individually – to be able to put this out into the world is beautiful. It’s the perfect time to showcase what beauty can be cultivated when we come together and work in an equal space, a space where the colour of our skin is not determined by our brilliance, a space where everyone feels equal and able to be part of a community,” Ib commented. To view the full collaboration visit Brownsfashion.com
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