Okay what primarily drew us to this lookbook is that it is headlined by a very African (no light skin here) looking model Mame Titicamara with short untextured natural hair. Considering that Roksanda is an European design label owned and run by a white woman, this is huge for black models.
But what made us stay is how nostalgic this collection makes us. Although it is inspired heavily by the garb of WW2 women, it could easily pass for hey day clothing of fashionable Nigerian women in the late 70’s with the heavy floral inspired day dresses and voluminous coats and natural hair. Nigerian fashion at the time was heavily influenced by nationalists and returnees from both World Wars who copied a lot of the British designs at the time.
What can we say about Roksanda, other than that she delivers yet again, a collection that is just as viable in the street as it is off the runway? Our favorite pieces are the floral dresses with oversized floral applique. This kind of layering of aesthetic on aesthetic usually doesn’t fly, but Ilincic is able to find that fragile balance. She is also able to take everything romantic about the 40’s and revamp it for the 21st century without making it kitschy, a skill many designers really need to learn.
Brava, Roksanda.
