Fruché SS19 Unfolding Bini Culture

Lagos fashion week has yet again exposed the world of fashion to the amazing talents of designers expressing themselves and their surroundings through fashion, it has continued to be grounds for cultivating increasingly respected talents and Fruche by Frank Aghuno falls into that category.

From showcasing the runway show during Lagos Fashion week, Fruche's narrative for their SS19 'Free Spirit' collection was to tap into Bini culture and express their influences of the Nigerian city in the clothing they create for their women collection. For this collection, Solomon Osagie Alonge, a well renowned Nigerian photographer was also a great inspiration in the Fruche lookbook.

Combining Alonge’s subjects with the richness of Bini culture and tradition Fruche creates an elegant aesthetic that showcases the contemporary garments designed by Frank Aghuno. The mixture of western and traditional Bini attire are an ode to the work of Alonge and showcase the vibrant colour palette and bold textures/fabrics that are put together with Bini motifs in a sophisticated manor. Frank Aghuno describes the lookbook as tapping into the identities of "Those in the upper echelon of society who could afford to do so would come dressed in their best outfits to have their portraits taken. Staring straight into Alonge’s lens, each subject had the power to represent himself or herself in the manner of their own choosing, a significant statement at a time when photos of Africans were often filtered through the gaze of a non-African photographer or anthropologist."

Some of the key elements of this collection come in the for of the powder blue to represent Water, green to represent the ikhimwin tree, feathers to represent the Owonwon, burgundy from the traditional burgundy coloured velvet wrappers tied by Bini women. These colours and their deeper meaning allow an incite into the thought process of each piece and the concepts in which they carry.

The wood grain adire el eko (Nigerian wax dye technique) print represents wood carving which bini is known for, Copper one of Bini’s natural resources and thousands of coral beads (Ivie) have been hand beaded into a dress (Ewu-Ivie) and skirt. King (Oba) and chief heads have been made in bronze Asooke (Hand woven fabric). all in all the collection is a beautiful presentation that shows the intensions of the brand moving forward from a creative, technical and storytelling standpoint. The collection is a graceful and decorus presentation with subtly hints in some garments.