There aren’t that many African fashion labels that can truly call themselves luxury. The level of craftsmanship and innovation required to elevate a brand to luxury status is something the lack of industrialization and innovation simply cannot sustain. Not to mentiont that luxury brands require the best in artisans, materials and fabrication. It is a tricky and costly exercise. Any label that willingly takes on this title must be willing to go the distance.
Emerging Ghanaian design label Kloor Tsoo Okai wants us to believe it is up to the challenge. The label has debuted its first ever collection called the Intium for Spring/summer 2016. A self proclaimed luxury collection introducing itself to a skeptical and unforgiving fashion community. Kloor Tsoo Okai gambles by choosing a single print for the entire collection, a common trope among established designers. Having a single print in an entire collection is a little akin to tying one hand behind your back before a fight. You cannot depend on any other distractions and must use the single canvas which you have chosen to craft everything you feel your collection needs, no matter diverse and unconventional.
There is a lot of asymmetry in this collection, flap hems on tube dresses, hi-lo trains on shirt dresses, curtained shift dresses. The label uses satin and chiffon in complementary colours (navy blue and a muted red) to serve as a counter point to the collection’s signature print, giving edge and softening looks where necessary. Some of the asymmetry comes off somewhat kitschy, but this isn’t too surprising from a debut label.
Not everything works, but it is refereshing to see a new label actually experiment with form and silhouette. They are not quite ready to be called ‘luxury’ yet, but Kloor Tsoo Okai is defintely on to something.
CREDITS
Facebook: @klortsoookaigh
Instagram: @klortsoookai
Photography : @ixose @team1000words
MUA : @facesbyfali
