Tiffany Amber at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013, Arise Magazine African Icons

When Arise Magazine dubbed its show “African Icons,” this season at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013, we really expected each and every designer who showed to live up to that title, especially the more seasoned brands. The Tiffany Amber brand, out of Nigeria, we were confident knew how to make clothes. However, we wanted to see and hear a distinct point of view from the label, one we feel has been lacking in prior shows both within and outside of its country of origin. There had to be more than just dressing socialites. The Tiffany Amber label needed to step outside of its comfort zone and push the creative envelope, while balancing the need for a marketable collection with the desire of every woman to stand out; when dressed in a luxury brand.

This season, Folake Folarin-Coker, the designer behind the Tiffany Amber brand, gave us exactly that. Showing a cohesive and well thought out collection with a strong and unique point of view,Folarin-Coker teased us with beautiful, progressive colorful prints in welcoming color palettes of yellow, blue and soft fuschia. Staying true to her signature use of silks, she experimented with new shapes and styles giving us dresses with unexpected high slits and sexy cuts on the backs of dresses that would have every head turn, among many simple yet effective design details. She gave us short and long playful dresses and showed us she too was interested in taking her career farther i.e. into the wardrobe of the Ladybrille Woman here in the West. There was a maturity in her designs that showed she understood her customer and fan base wanted more from her and she was finally ready to embrace the challenge and deliver.

Photocredit: Getty Images/Mercedes Benz Fashion Week NY

Ladybrille Magazine

Founded in 2007, Ladybrille® Magazine is a California based pioneer digital publication demystifying the image of Africans in the west through contemporary African fashion and celebrating the brilliant woman in business and leadership, with an emphasis on the African woman in the diaspora. Our coverage includes stories on capital, access to markets, expertise, hiring and retention, sales, marketing, and promotions.