Source: Cleo Luana
Combining cultures and making something beautiful is an amazing thing.
Cleo Luana is another great example of a designer combining Europe and Africa, through the lens of her Angolan heritage.
Cleo just released her graduate showcase, after finishing her degree in Fashion Design Technology: Womenswear, at the London College of Fashion.
Her collection, dubbed ‘THE LIFE CHOSE ME’ reflects on her experiences living in London as someone who’s background is African.
Cultural music, dance, African film, and comedy, are among the many things that influenced this collection heavily. Additionally, the designer credits part of her creative process for this collection, in part, to growing up in a lower-class environment, where constant proximity inevitably resulted in everyone being influenced by one another.
The collection contains a vast array of products, which range from digital downloads, CD’s, garments, and accessories.
In her own words;
“As a designer my work exists for the people who seek freedom. Freedom of external input, freedom of spirit, freedom of cultural representation and freedom of comfortability.”
The London based designer dedicates herself to those who dress freely, but also want to dip their toes in meaningful fashion and creativity. Creating clothes tailored to fit any kind of form or shape, showing a love for all bodies.
Luana wants to make people embrace who they are, so as means of fighting a society which often times attempts to control, morph, and dictate which shapes are trending and which aren’t, each piece of the collection includes a tailoring service. Ensuring that no one feels like the garments they buy, are not for them.
“We are not a trend; we are a lifestyle.”
Check out this short video by Grey Moth, showing how she was inspired by East London architecture, blending historical and modern structures, and Cleo’s design presentations, which use collage and layering, to create fascinating textures, and enthralling shapes.
Also Checkout her webshop here!
