After Ituen Basi’s debut of the colourful ‘Dear George’ Collection, I remember telling the photographer beside me that Arise Fashion Week 2019 is officially over and we can all call it a night.
What Ituen does with the African fabric is beautifully sinful. The ‘Dear George’ collection is a twist on the plain George fabric from the South-South and South-Eastern parts of Nigeria. As the models smiled down the runway, the collection made me think of all the ways the elders in the village would have burnt her alive.
We all know that these days, millennials do not want to conform to the ways of the old. So Ituen Basi took the traditional George wrapper and made them into beautiful pieces that millennials would be proud to wear. From shorts to a beautiful take on the double wrapper, the collection was lit! For accessories, she opted for colourful headbands made from the fabric and bucket bags that made you want to visit the beach. There was also the addition of colourful cowries as waist beads.
The collection which featured deconstructed George pieces had slogans such as “Dear George”, “Stew”, “Dear George, I’m not doing again” and “Dear George… Full Stop.” She even made sack bags look beautiful and hopefully, Nollywood movies would take a cue from this when shooting movies that depict the olden days in Nigeria. A closer look at each piece will reveal intricate detailing in the lines that showcased the joining of various fabrics in each outfit.
In order to appease the elders, the brand went for highlife music from Sir Victor Uwaifo. The models walked to the sounds of ‘Guitar Boy’ and ‘Joromi.’ All that was left for the audience was a plate of nkwobi and glass of freshly tapped palm wine. In order for millennials not to feel left out, the models did their final walk or would I say their final dance to the sounds of ‘Ada Ada’ by Flavour.
This was a refreshing collection in all ramifications and I would love to see the look on my parents’ faces when I show up at home in one of these.
Check out select pieces from the Ituen Basi ‘Dear George’ collection…
Photo Credit: Arise Fashion Week
It would have been easier for us to simply upload images of the collections that showed at the Arise Fashion Week 2019, but you deserve more than that. So we’re still on task, reviewing our favourite collections as shown by emerging and eminent brands.
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