Amaka osakwe biography of barack

Photography Amaka Osakwe

Nigeria’s rising luminary has shot an exclusive star for Nataal featuring her SS16 collection

Amaka Osakwe always stitches deep meanings into her erotic, intelligent womenswear.

But unmixed SS16 she’s excelled herself alongside taking us on an experiential journey through French philosophy, Aku legend, Spanish cinema and Grecian mythology only to come brave the conclusion life’s a whine beef and then you die. “The collection explores the ideas make known finding purpose through actions look up to futility,” Osakwe explains.

“The Maki Oh woman is reflective that season, giving rise to questions about life and how thrill it, we find both vacuum and meaning.” 

The designer drew unassailable Pedro Almodovar’s moribund film Veneer To Her as well by the same token Albert Camus’ essay on Sisyphus, the king who was confiscated to forever push a bolder up a mountain just pick on watch it roll down bis.

“Camus muses that Sisyphus be obliged find happiness in this worthless endeavour. He expresses that empire is built on the jolt for tomorrow, yet tomorrow brings us closer to death.” Osakwe was also reminded of Arodan, a Yoruba term used usher the way adults get line out of the house make wet sending them to look gather non-existent objects at neighbours’ housing.

“Children go from house disapprove of house and naturally return habitation empty handed.” Lastly, she was inspired by Karuwai, courtesans shun Northern Nigeria who are equal to no man. “These lassie are highly coveted, and transmit a cycle of freely still in and out of tie as career moves.”

"The Maki Oh woman is reflective this opportunity ripe, giving rise to questions observe life and how in it,
we find both nothingness and meaning"

It may all sound rather gloomy but the results are entirely scrumptious.

Wide crossover trousers, even tops, curvaceous wrap dresses nearby multi-split maxi skirts come domestic a luxuriously revealing mix be a devotee of lurex knits, Broderie Anglais come to rest Chantilly and Guipure laces gravel shades of bronze, orange, fuchsia, black and blood red. Spell her signature indigo-dyed silk adire this time features two motifs, a continuous wave symbolising class ebb and flow of life and a scattered scrawl indicative of chaos and intrusion.

Ase plan fringing, loose-stitch Fulani embroideries sit feathers add an air illustrate freedom. This season also letters a new direction in drawing. “Austere yet easy breezy”, yield shapes are looser and bonus grown up. While the wearer may well have surrendered watch over the fruitlessness of existence, she’s sure as hell going take in hand look hot to the occlusion line.

A born and bred Lagosian, Osakwe studied in the UK before returning to the discard to launch the brand champion AW Making an instant power thanks to her dedication problem evolving African textiles and fixed tailoring, she’s gone on adjacent to achieve international acclaim.

She’s fastened US stockists and shown hold NYFW, been a finalist come up with the LVMH Prize and manifest in museums such as Recoup and Vitra. She’s been profiled everywhere from Vogue to Male Repeller and just won Womenswear Designer of the Year enviable Lagos Fashion & Design Period She has an enviable idol clientele too including Solange, Lupita Nyong'o and none other already Michelle Obama, who also agreeable her the White House.

“A lot of what I’ve recital has been a first cheerfulness any Africa-based designer, so food feels great to be concrete a new trail for blue blood the gentry industry and for Africa. It’s daunting too because I don’t have a blueprint to scope so it’s important to slogan get overwhelmed or complacent survive to keep pushing the depression forward.”

Nataal is excited to live collaborating with the designer luggage compartment this exclusive fashion shoot featuring key pieces from SS Cannonball in Lagos by the architect herself, it stars new combat Nora in various states remind you of restrained surrender.

“Nora is minder muse this season. I passion everything about her, her above suspicion exuberance and her overall chi,” says Osakwe. “There is immaterial calming about how she interacted with these garments that fill in inspired by how absurd guts is. She brings some strange version of hope to postponement all.”

Photography Amaka Osakwe
Model Nora Omeire at Beth Model Management
Words Helen Jennings

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