No industry thrives on new blood quite like fashion.
The search for fresh perspective, new cuts, an original point of view has seen fashion’s King makers turn their sights to obscure places like Lebanon and Vietnam to unearth new greats like Rosie Assoulin and Thakoon. But that search also forces a lot of young brands into premature exposure and ultimately, early peak and decline. Kancky Nigeria seems one of those labels susceptible to the hype.
Under the creative direction of Chikweluaku Nwafor, and run by her sisters Adaobi, Nkechi and Kosoluchukwu, Kancky Nigeria has grown from a niche fashion brand creating a market for itself with one of the bigger trends of 2015, ‘kimono’ style cape shirts.
Espirit Libre is their first proper collection. Loosely inspired by the Bohemia of the 18th century (this in itself is vague, Bohemia of which country, or which culture or subculture?) the sisters offer what can only pass for an ASOS catalogue. Almost entirely driven by the season’s trends, they offer us their spin on off shoulder blouses, palazzo pants and the high slit maxi, all done in chiffon, high lustre cotton. The label’s hot ticket Kimono’s also makes a cameo.
Kancky is great at what it does, which is mass market tailoring, but is it a design label? Not yet at least. The abject lack of a concept is glaring in the collection and really, there isn’t any particular sell that suggests we should choose Kancky over any of the other clone labels churning exact replicas of these pieces. Until that happens, Kancky isn’t quite in business.
They would make a great high street label though, a tangential career path that they should seriously consider.
Instagram: Kancky (@kancky_idgn) Email: [email protected]
Credits:
Photography and Art Direction: Nkem Mere (@nkemmere)
Models: Nkechi Nwafor (@keke_nwa4) of @bethmodelafrica and Ngozi Eseka (@n.eseka)
Styling: Luaku Nwafor (@luaku_tory) for Kancky (@kancky_idgn)
Make Up: Queen (@vurequinn)
