056: Recapping London & Elizabeth Catlett

FALL SEASON IS HERE 🍂

As we count down to the last days of Fashion Month, we’re reminded of the words of the late great Andre Leon Talley, who rightfully remarked on the dearth of beauty in fashion. These days, it seems that beauty is back with us again. The rapid shifts in consumer behavior coupled with the ongoing musical chairs at major brands have created the perception (and perhaps the actuality) of more space, mental and otherwise, to truly recognize the best from our diasporic creative class. This Spring / Summer 2025 season, they didn’t disappoint.

Don’t forget, we’re on a bi-weekly cadence! Thank you for your readership and as always, please reach us at [email protected] with any tips or questions.

DISPATCH 056 —

This week, we’re still seeing investment in beauty founders, shopping essentials from Sebastien Ami, and toasting a US commission for Kéré Architecture. Plus: first-time retrospectives and analyzing Abiola Olusola. But first, taking a pit stop in London…

RECAPPING LONDON

London Fashion Week hit a huge milestone, celebrating its 40th year championing design talent big and small. We previously penned our love note for Feben last dispatch, but figured we would circle back with another brand we’ve been watching: Ahluwalia.

For Spring / Summer 2025, Ahluwalia showed Home Sweet Home, an homage to the “soulful ties that bind us to our roots.” Now to be frank, this collection hardly feels like the first one dedicated to the idea of home, but that said, the six-year old brand, led by Indian-Nigerian Creative Director Priya Ahluwalia, seems to finally be hitting its stride.

Inspired by her rich mixed heritage, the brand’s indelible identity has taken shape, armed with barrels of fuzzy knits, velour track jackets, and double-dyed denim sets. This sort of multicultural youth-forward positioning got a very nice upgrade courtesy of runway styling by Nell Kalonji. That specific sense of warmth, nostalgia, and velvety wares, while indeed repetitive, is definitely clicking. In other words, the image of a glittering cropped ombre knit sweater paired with body-skimming trousers is not soon leaving our mind.

LAST DAYS IN PARIS

Milan Fashion Week has come and gone, but Paris Fashion Week still has our heart for the next few days. A highlight of the week came via Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX) x Tranoï, which held multiple runway shows and showroom space dedicated to ready-to-wear, jewelry, and accessories from throughout the continent at Le Palais Brongniart.

Thebe Magugu returned to full force with a Spring / Summer 2025 collection entitled ‘Reparations.’ Reflecting on family estrangement and reconciliation, Magugu oscillated from the sporty and playful to the cerebral and culture-bearing; for example, in the inclusion of Nguni cowhide prints in a daring shawl, cargo trousers, and matching trench. The best of Magugu was evident in a double-plisse chocolate brown dress that played with straight and crushed pleats. He has figured out how to make fashion particular — remember his familial memorabilia collection where you can include your own one-of-a-kind heritage. It is through these deeply personal stories that Magugu continues to make his mark on the industry beyond the glow of his LVMH Prize.

Nigerian brand Lagos Space Programme debuted ‘The New Lagos Look,’ a play on words that centered Yoruba subculture through “a radical reimagining of artisanal heritage craft” with a tailoring twist. Designer Adeju Thompson attributed the latest collection as a love letter of sorts, returning to fabrications and silhouettes that have defined the brand’s pieces since launch in 2018. Post-Adire Indigo and Swiss Lace made healthy appearances as well as the aforementioned wool tailoring and cut-out details that lent an edge of modernity. Stylist Jenke Ahmed Tailly pulled together the final touches for a solid show that will certainly set the stage for the next chapter of this brand.

Still to come — British-Nigerian label Torisheju will launch its runway show La Nef Des Fous on October 1.

ANALYZING ABIOLA OLUSOLA

It’s officially pre-order season for the Abiola Olusola Resort 2024 capsule collection — we’ve long been admirers of the brand’s measured approach and fervent commitment to chic, elegant silhouettes. With the latest drop, we can’t help, but flag our favorite options for the upcoming festive season. Take a look!

First up, the Lakoba II. Its advantages are many: from eye-catching red hue to stunning backlines, the layered linen dress has much to appreciate. Perfect for swanning across the dance floor, Lakoba II has the makings of a closet staple that can transition across various seasons. On the other end of the spectrum, meet Tuusi. A vision in white, this full-length dress with side ties is deceptively simple and yet utterly romantic. Both dresses are accessibly priced and sure to warrant repeat wear. Consider this our timely wardrobe advice ahead of the brand’s forthcoming collaboration with footwear label Shekudo.

ON OUR RADAR

Recent news announced Kéré Architecture as the commissioned architect to design the Las Vegas Museum of Art (LVMA), the city’s first major art venue scheduled to open in 2028. Transforming a 1.5-acre site in downtown Las Vegas, in collaboration with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), this natural landscape-inspired museum will draw swaths of new attendees and solidify an alternative destination for the visual arts on the West Coast. (Link)

The Brooklyn Museum will unveil the first major retrospective exhibition for American sculptor and printmaker Elizabeth Catlett (1915 - 2012) — A Black Revolutionary Artist & All That It Implies. Featuring over 200 works across various media, the exhibition highlights how her revolutionary activism stood out as a beacon for nearly a century as she used her lifelong talent to protest against U.S. imperialism, class inequality, and racism. Open now. (Link)

British-Jamaican designer Grace Wales Bonner has been on a recent partnership spree, predictably some of the sartorial variety and others a pleasant and enlightening surprise — this month, Bonner shared a partnership with David Alaba for an inaugural paid internship program, which is accepting applications now. On the other side, Bonner unveiled its most recent collaboration with Korean heritage outdoor brand Kolon Sport, marking the brand’s foray into outdoor functional wear. (Link)

CFDA / Vogue Fashion Fund finalist Sebastien Ami shared its impending departure from Los Angeles this week. What better way to say goodbye than with a final sample sale and trunk show for its most recent collection? Originally shown in New York earlier this month, the SS25 collection is also now available online. The evolution of this ‘buy-now, see-now’ business model remains to be seen, but we’re curious to see brands testing things out. (Link)

Serious congratulations are in order for Ami Cole and its prodigious founder Diarrha Ndiaye-Mbaye, who raised investment from one of the biggest beauty conglomerates in the world L’Oreal. Via the BOLD fund, the incremental investment comes at a critical inflection point for the makeup brand, which recently expanded to all Sephora doors in the U.S., including Harlem, Ndiaye-Mbaye’s hometown. (Link)