Who recalls when fashion designer Jason Wu showed up on the fashion scene as an emerging designer? We do. We were right there, at his private invite only event, as Jason spoke exclusively with Ladybrile Magazine about his vision and how he intended to penetrate the USA fashion market. Today, Jason Wu is one of the younger designers who has dressed first Lady Michelle Obama and whose name continues to soar globally.
Within Africa, there is a name that reminds us of when Jason Wu first emerged. She goes by Maki Oh. Maki Oh launched her label in 2010 and has a unique approach to fashion design. A graduate from the Arts Institute in Bournemouth, England, she exhibits that passion for fashion that goes deeper than trends or wanting to be famous. “In every collection everything means something — everything up to the last button. In Africa we’ve always told stories with what we wear, and I want all my clothes to tell a story. Traditionally, there’s a cloth you can wrap around yourself when you’re trying to seduce a man or to say oh I’m so sorry for annoying you earlier in the day or whatever,” is what the designer once said to New York Magazine in an interview with that publication. Indeed.
For Spring/Summer 2013, the designer worked with an overall neutral palette and really displayed why she is the next big thing with her special attention to design details in the construction of her garments. We were particularly impressed with the fabric choices/prints used and the fringing liberally introduced throughout her collection. We would love, however, to see the label embrace more color, especially for a Spring/Summer collection.
Check out a few pieces from the collection.
Photocredit: Getty Images/MBFWNY
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.
