Just a few weeks ago, Off-White landed one of the biggest pop culture platforms in the world, dressing Usher in an electric blue biker suit with 394,000 crystals, as well as his 60 skate dancers at the show's halftime show. Super Bowl.
On Thursday in Paris, Off-White art and image director Ib Kamara kept the momentum going with a collection reflecting Africanness, Americanness, sports and showbiz glitz titled “Black By Popular Demand.”
“Off-White is black and was founded by an African-American genius, and African-American culture and American culture are so loud and have such a big presence globally. For us, to come back and show that it is important that the legacy lives on,” said Kamara, who is from Sierra Leone, pointing out high and low, sophisticated and street references during a preview of the collection.
The runway set was inspired by her favorite game, Ludo, with giant, dazzling dice in the center offering photos to guests, including Serena Williams, Willow Smith and Coco Rocha.
The multi-hyphenate editor, stylist and designer said he wanted to incorporate the style into the creation of the collection, which led to inside-out tailoring and workwear with lots of lime green exposed seams, faux fur trim, utilitarian straps , zippers and dazzling buttons. , all of which could have used a lighter touch.
Knitwear stood out, particularly sleeveless tops, minidresses and skirts that mixed elements of traditional African dress and beading with American collegiate stripes.
Men's clothing was even more colorful and maximalist than women's, with styles inspired by motocross and track and field with neon-hued American stars and stripes, beaded sweatpants, crystalline rugby and mesh jerseys, and varsity jackets covered in a swarm of 3D butterfly embroidery that were definitely not for wallflowers.
The brand also launched a collaboration with Wilson on basketballs that paraded down the runway in crystal mesh bags and on high-tops made of grained basketball rubber (some completely dazzling styles) that will likely be heading into a tunnel any day now.
Reviving the clever bustier dress from her debut collection, this time in black with red stars and beaded embellishments, and adding spiral-cut bodycon dresses with crystal buttons, she increased the eveningwear offering, at least for women. That should help fuel the brand's growing presence on the Hollywood red carpet in recent months, worn by Colman Domingo and Issa Rae in looks that play off the house's crossed arrow designs at the SAG Awards; Halle Bailey in a red satin dress at the premiere of “The Color Purple” and more. “That support is very important, it is good that culture gives back to Off-White, V[irgil] “I would have been very proud to see Off-White live,” Kamara said of the brand's late founder, Virgil Abloh.
“It is a very optimistic collection that shows the joy of Off-White in minimal time. “It’s supposed to live up to his true identity, talking to real people on the street and I think real people are optimistic and hopeful,” the designer said.
Three years after Abloh's death, the brand's mission is still alive, he said.
“It's a feeling of inclusion. Everywhere I travel I see Off-White graphics, whether they're fake or not, and the fake inspires me too, it's flattering,” Kamara said. “That a 10-year-old brand has such an impact demonstrates the power of culture. Culture moves capitalism moves the world.”
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