“I wanted to create prints that were full of aura,” said Duro Olowu, speaking from his studio in London. You need only take one glimpse at the riotous palette of his new collection to get the picture. This was Olowu at his most euphoric; a glorious acid trip of swirling print and color.
But don’t be fooled. This wasn’t some thinly-veiled tribute to magic mushrooms, (though clearly, the fungi trend still has legs.) Instead, Olowu took inspiration from the art of British-Argentinian surrealist painter and photographer Eileen Agar, whose work was recently celebrated in an impressive retrospective at the Whitechapel Gallery in London. “Imagine what’s left behind after the waves come crashing in on shore,” said Olowu describing her idiosyncratic and otherworldly pieces. “Driftwood, plankton, seashells.”
Regardless of origin, the ’70s-inflected brown and white motif looked terrific on his new cropped trouser silhouette; Olowu's pants shapes ran the gamut this season, from kick-flare to super-duper wide. The matching double-breasted peacoat is definitely worth a special mention, too.
Easily the most mesmerizing print in the collection took cues from the legendary jazz composer Le Sony'r Ra, better known as Sun Ra. Olowu immersed himself in the world of the experimental musician via the acclaimed 1980 documentary A Joyful Noise by filmmaker Robert Mugge. Ra’s celestial vibes could be felt all over the neon-accented zig-zig prints that covered charming minidresses and camp shirts alike. Olowu is known for his impeccable taste and personal style, and the aforementioned shirts came finished with trimmings, including epaulets, that seemed to be culled from his own wardrobe. Olowu is one half of the art world's best-dressed couple: he and his wife and muse, Studio Museum director Thelma Golden, make an impressive pair. In many ways the collection illustrated just how playful and fun a cosmic feminine/masculine connection can look.
