There’s only one label that can turn history’s blights into a big party where even the biggest of cynics get out of their seat and dance: Studio One Eighty Nine. Turning Spring Studios’ white space into a West African paradise, recent CFDA Lexus Fashion Award winners Rosario Dawson and Abrima Erwiah put on a show that featured live performances, a pop remix of Nina Simone’s civil rights tune Mississippi Goddam and beats by Burna Boy - a mixed bag, representing the interconnectedness of Africans on the continent and in the diaspora.

Dubbed Heritage, the collection featured energetic prints and relaxed silhouettes in variations of indigo dyes, deep pinks and lush greens. Both men and women (some holding hands to underscore the theme) donned high waisted pants and breezy shirts that, when paired, easily formed one tailored garment.

A new oversized hand-batik hat with a broad brim offered a fun surprise, as did patchwork loafers made of unused cotton fabric scraps from the brand's factory. Tapping into the prairie dress trend, finely executed high necked, maxi-length dresses in batik prints added a regal touch.

Conscious of the original marking of 400 years since the first slave ships from West Africa reached American shores, the collection took notes from freedom quilts and patchwork styles made famous by enslaved Africans. Combined with traditional West African symbols, the sustainable, Ghana-made garments each told distinct stories about shared cultural values. “It’s important to trace where we come from and take a look at our deeper connected past,” the team said.

Words Amber Nicole Alston

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Published on 16/09/2019