For SS22, House of Aama introduce us to Salt Water. The collection and its compelling campaign story enter us into the world of Camp Aama, an imagined Black resort community in a time that’s not quite then and not quite now. This refined water-side utopia is where we meet a handsome cast of sailors and vacationers wearing slinky debutante dresses, Victorian bow blouses, wide-legged trousers, elegant swimwear and casual separates enlivened by bespoke prints.

Continuing the brand’s ongoing mission to celebrate the Black experience in the US and reclaim its untold histories, this season reminds us of the beach towns where African Americans would holiday in the early 1900s during segregation. And specifically, it’s inspired by Bruce’s Beach in southern California. Once a thriving spot for Black beachgoers, it was unlawfully taken from its owners in 1924 and it wasn’t until 2021 that new legislature returned it to their descendants – an act of reparation that House of Aama hails.

Established in Los Angeles by the mother and daughter team, Rebecca Henry and Akua Shabaka, the brand initially started as a family hobby exploring their southern roots and more formally took shape in 2017. This year they’ve been recognised by CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and made their official New York Fashion Week debut with this spiritually steeped collection. Nataal speaks to the duo to find out about how they bring their stories to life through fashion.

Please tell us about your mission for the brand.

House of Aama explores the folkways of the Black experience by designing timeless garments with nostalgic references informed by historical research, archival analysis and storytelling. We aim to evoke dialogue, social commentary and conversations around heritage, remembrance and to shed light on nuanced histories.

We started the company due to our collective interest in the cultural retention of storytelling, transference of narratives in the family context and the reclamation of these narratives within the Black community. We are particularly interested in how these narratives are expressed communally, spiritually and in the present time.

What is your creative process for finding and translating these stories?

We are continuing in the cultural legacy of Ms. Zora Neale Hurston, the noted Black female novelist who in ‘Mules and Men’, wrote: “Negroism fitting me like a tight chemise. Through the spy-glass of anthropology, I was able to look at my garment-Black culture.”

We normally start with stories and nuances that pertain to our family and branch out to this connectedness in many histories. For us, this familial and ancestral remembrance is found acutely in the southern states of Louisiana and South Carolina, as well as Cuba and Jamaica. Our creative process revolves around developing characters. By exploring the stories, the world, the aesthetic, the spirituality and everyday functions of said characters, we begin to develop the clothes, the colours and textures that they would live in. The clothing is just an asset to tell a greater story.

Please tell us about the journey of SS22 and why it resonated with you.

Salt Water is inspired by the seafaring legacy and Black resort communities that flourished in the US in the early 1900s. We highlight Camp Aama, a fictionalised resort, and the water spirits of Yemaya, Olokun and Agwe that have served as spiritual anchors of African traditions in the diaspora. ‘Salt Water’ as a term is an ode to the Africans who crossed the Atlantic Ocean and survived the middle passage to the Americas.

How did the visual story come together?

Like many House of Aama projects and creations, it took a village. We were blessed to shoot this campaign with Myles Loftin in Woodstock, New York. We wanted to bring Camp Aama to life. We wanted our audience to see themselves here and feel the safety and resilience that reflect our people from the past. As always, we wanted them to feel like they’ve entered a world that intersects with the past, present and future.

What can you tell us about the collection?

We have developed original textiles, illustrations and prints with a US-based dye and print manufacturer in Southern California. This collection includes a beautiful assortment of colours, prints, textiles, embroidery, patches and hand embellishments. Some of the pieces that you can see are our HOA x Gianni Lee Sea Spirit silk charmeuse button-down and sarong, the sophisticated Sun Down print silk cut-out maxi dress and our fan favourite, the La Sirene mesh bodycon maxi dress.

Congratulations on being a CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund finalist. What impact do you hope it will have on the brand?

Receiving the CVFF was a tremendous reward and experience. We were able to explore and make connections with new-found network and mentors. As a direct-to-consumer brand we had a goal to enter the retail space and we’ve been blessed to acquire major accounts for SS22. We also learned a lot about becoming smarter on alternative ways of doing business that are beyond the typical model.

How do you find the balance between being authentic and the commercial demands that come with success?

We’ve learned over time that what works for us is staying true to who we are and what we know. We’ve realised that people are intrigued by the education, presentation and exploration we provide. It's what inspires us and drives us to keep pushing through so it's not something we would change. Our consumers buy into our brand not only for our garments but for their own personal and emotional connection to it. So, we believe that mixing our nostalgic core pieces with some bold prints and designs will be appealing to many consumers.

What is your vision for the future of the house?

In the short term, HOA was to expand our reach while remaining true to our slow fashion ethos. As a small brand it takes a lot of resources to be at the same pace as more seasoned and funded companies but we’re moving into two collections for 2022/2023. Working together in a family-based business allows us to continuously push toward our common end objective, which is to create a legacy brand to pass down the generations as an inheritable asset. We hope to expand into more lifestyle categories that will aid in our storytelling. And eventually, we foresee HOA having a storefront or experiential location for people to come explore, shop, stay or travel too (hint, hint).