Closing fashion week was one highly anticipated collection. When the first model rocking Gloria Wavamunno’s collection ambled down the runway, there was a pool of feelings, at least for me. First was shock, because there were so many layers. The next feeling bordered on disappointment, because I felt like I had seen some of those aspects on her last collection, especially the braided rope/sash. But that feeling slowly faded as more looks accumulated over the show.
It was an “aha” moment when I saw that using a few pieces from the last collection was the ultimate sustainable fashion statement; while everyone else is pandering to the fashion worlds greed for novelty, Gloria brought a new touch to something they might already own. Talk about wearing one good thing over time! The collection was full of layers, which seemed very uncharacteristic of the brand, but there were done in a way where it felt like more than one collection was showcased. I felt like each piece could go on it’s own and depending on the buyer’s preferences, become what they wanted it to be.
Then there is the accessories. The bags, which a few were made of carved out wood told stories of their own, stories of femininity and support. The softness and versatility of the collection also came out through the use of some athleisure looks, which are the epitome of mix and match but still look like a snack kinds of looks.
As Gloria put it, “The collection was called 69, and I know some people might be like, “69, the sexual position?” which it could be, but it’s also about Yin and Yang and the way the symbol is, it’s almost like 69; so it’s really about balance. Lightness and darkness, femininity and masculinity and that we all have those aspects within us, and that we need to find peace within that so that we can be balanced ourselves, and that will project in how we interact with people, how we make decisions. I’m not saying everything’s perfect because people are dealing with a lot of things and the world is very chaotic and can be traumatizing, but I’m trying to make clothing that is like protection; a shield that fuels you.
When you put it on every day you want to be the best version of yourself, you want to improve the version of yourself, as well as the female and the male, mixing with your feminine and masculine looks, projecting that into the world. Yeah, and comfortability, I’m all about being versatile and in the world now there’s a lot of things that people put their money to, or should put their money to, and sometimes with clothing, at least buy a piece that transforms into many things; now we’re in a place where there’s no uniform. I made stuff where you can put a blazer on and wear it to work, then after work take the jacket off and put a t-shirt on and go to a party, and walk with your friends.”
“The clothes are breathing because they are jersey, they’re shifting, so you can make it look one way into another way, flip the string from the front and wear it from the back, and it would create a different silhouette for people, so they’re not overspending, since they can buy that one piece and just play with it, and yeah, feel comfortable. Spirituality is all in it so I’m a big cowrie shell lover because it holds energy but also expels energy, I think as Africans that’s something beautiful that we have.
I went the route of the layers because it was mainly showing people how you can wear one piece. A lot of people might not know that my career was in styling when I was in London, so it was kind of bringing my styling back; styling for different designers, even when I came here, styling for a few music videos. So that was bringing it back to my past.
The colour choices were very elements; like fire, wind, air and earth with the grey being air and water, then yellow – the sun, red – fire and black’s the earth, so it was kind of like an elements thing, because elements are such a strong facet, they guide us on everything we do on the earth so I had to channel that in. Also sometimes colours can make you feel a certain way, so I wanted to also explore that with the neutral colours balanced off the stronger ones.”
“The durags were because as women, we take care of our hair and change it so much and that’s also what we sleep in. There’s also the fact that durags can be seen as more of a masculine thing, or an African American thing, but it is actually women, and then I wanted the shells there for symbolism and shaped in the triangle which is the feminine entity, but I do my hair a lot, I braid my hair a lot, so I have to keep it neat. There’s also that normalisation where if I could walk into an office space wearing a durag and that being cool then I’d really love that. It’s all playing to remove what people consider casual to non-casual, I’m looking to break all that down and just know that you have to dress well, and dress for yourself.”
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