You Sure Will Like It! Fashion Brand “IAMISIGO” Presents Its “EAST of WEST” AW15/16 Collection

Shortly after releasing images from the launch of a concept showroom which was attended by the likes of Rita Dominic, Toke Makinwa, Bayo Oke-Lawal, Yegwa Ukpo & more, Nigerian designer/stylist Bubu Ogisi releases her latest collection under the I AM ISIGO brand titled “EAST OF WEST”. The collection was first showcased at the SAFW Durban in May 2015. One of the first to wear a piece from this collection was fashion’s darling, actress/presenter Eku Edewor at Alara’s Fashion Night Out.

Colour Story of the East of West collection: Contrasts of White and Black, Grey and Silver, Yellow and Gold; done in silk, crepe de chine, cotton-poly blend, light tweeds, cotton twine, polyamide twine and mohair wool.

Inspired by parallels between the designer’s youth and the American film Calamity Jane. 1950’s western, that chronicles a young Doris Day who embraces the duality of a masculinity and femininity, first as a ‘tomboy’ and then as a woman in pursuit of love.

The collection has strong western themes, evoking fringed hems, lapels and boxy cuts. The collection also embraces the ‘feminine’ art of crochet, the final frontier of truly bespoke clothing with hand-crocheted lattice dresses, flared pants and jackets, with traditional doily patterns exaggerated for effect. Its colors and fabrics emphasize this study of contrasts, using twine traditionally prevalent in masculine environments to craft the feminine crocheted pieces. Fringed tops, dresses, jackets and pants in feather light silk and cotton create androgynous silhouettes that both celebrate and satirize the manly stereotypes Westerns have become associated with.

Ultra-feminity and hyper-masculinity contrast and complement each other and ultimately, birth a truly liberated woman, East of West.

Model: Nadine O (ICE MODELS SA) | Photography: Brian Molepo | Art direction: Bubu Ogisi | Styling: Ayanda Nhlapo