Throughout the month of March, OkayAfrica has celebrated the contributions of African women across the diaspora through our annual 100 Women list. The month is coming to a close, but we're still not done celebrating.
Today we present our 100 Women Capsule Collection in collaboration with 2018 honoree Abrima Erwiah of renowned New York and Accra-based fashion house Studio 189, who drew inspiration from women across the African diaspora to create her vibrant, fluid designs.
"All of the items are made by hand—hand-batiked in Ghana," says Erwiah. "The fabrics are very colorful and the prints are tropical. The reason we liked to do that is because it's consistent with the idea of the global African narrative. I like to imagine a world where you can see a tree or a flower and you can see it just as well in the Caribbean, Ghana, South America or LA. It's further proving that we're all connected."
The three-piece capsule includes patterned kimonos, head wraps, and obi belts, each designed in colorful, earthy fabrics all crafted in Ghana.
This collection was conceived with the African woman of the world in mind—the many women who work, wake, and wander finding their likeness in communities throughout the continent and diaspora. It's the effortlessness of a patterned layer Kimono, the accent of an Obi belt, and the command of a seamlessly tied headwrap that makes this collection unequivocally our own.
Check out the collection below, along with some behind the scenes images of the production process. We hope you enjoy the collection just as much as we enjoyed brining it to life.
SHOP OKAYAFRICA'S 100 WOMEN CAPSULE COLLECTION HERE.
Red & white leaf kimono and obi belt.Photo by Darren Bandeira
Navy & turquoise leaf kimono and 'camo' obi belt.Photo by Darren Bandeira
Black & white leaf kimono and obi belt.Photo by Darren Bandeira
Pink, navy & green leaf kimono and 'camo' obi belt.Photo by Darren Bandeira
Navy, turquoise & white kimono and 'camo' obi belt.Photo by Kofi Anokye
Navy & turquoise pineapple headwrap.Photo by Kofi Anokye
Red & white pineapple headwrap.Photo by Kofi Anokye
Turquoise & white pineapple headwrap.Photo by Kofi Anokye
Navy & blue pineapple headwrap.Photo by Kofi Anokye
The Making Of
Photo by Victor Raison
Photo by Victor Raison
Photo by Victor Raison
Photo by Victor Raison
Photo by Victor Raison
Photo by Victor Raison
Photo by Kofi Anokye
Photo by Kofi Anokye
