Temitayo Nathan, creative director of the eponymous brand T.I Nathan released his Spring 16 collection at the Lagos Fashion and Design Week and showed us his interpretation of heartbreak. It was a curious collection, unlike anything he had done at the time, full of idealism and grand gestures that didn’t quite make the transition to reality. It established him as a designer willing to take risks, but his heart on his sleeve. For some it signified the label finally leaving the bespoke suit race and becoming a proper, full fledged designer.
Well, T.I Nathan is not quite yet ready for that.
After debuting a ready to wear line under the T.I Nathan brand earlier in the year and teasing several floral suits that reminded us strongly of Alessandro Michele’s work at Gucci, T.I Nathan forgoes a fall collection for a Resort collection. It is an informed choice, resort collections have a longer shelf life than seasonal collection and designers are allowed to unabashed embrace commercialism with resort pieces. The ultimate goal with these off season offerings is to sell.
The Lacey collection is inspired by Nathan’s muses, his long time collaborator and new love Laylah Rahman of Leylarh Cardne and model Seun Logan, who became the label’s main muse after Toyin Oyeneye moved to South Africa to pursue modelling full time. Nathan gives a good speech about how the collection is inspired by his muses’ personalities but ultimately, what he has done is return to his bespoke roots.
Bespoke is what T.I Nathan knows best, as evinced by the quality of the clothes in the Lacey ‘collection’. Or at least the Menswear. Each suit is tailored to perfection, draping and hanging off the model’s shoulders with a precision we’d expect of military uniforms. He chooses to a sheer fabric with elaborate baroque motifs, which we think is where the collection gets it’s name from, though this fabric is most certainly not lace. The women’s wear he attempts, while well tailored is unoriginal, and leans too heavily on the off-shoulder trend for contemporaneity. We understand the label wants to turn a profit, but it also has an image to maintain.
The Lacey collection will do well, but like most resort collections, it will be quickly forgotten.
Credits
Creative Direction: Temitayo Nathan @temitayonathan
Make-up: Leylarh Cadne @leylarhcadne
Photography: Jerrie Rotimi @jerrierotimi
Stylist: Mag Payne @magpayne1
Muses: Laila Rahman @ellecadne & Seun Logan @seunlogan
Content: @thestyleinfidel
Contact : www.tinathan.com | @officialtinathan | 08164691226
