Sunday 20 October 2013

Swahili Chic SS14 in Utilitarian Style!

A touch of the 60's
                                                           
I always loved the idea of having zips,  I have done so in most of my garments.  It is indeed one of the strong elements in my label.
I was contemplating this look for a while, but did not know how to put pen to paper to describe it!  The look totally depends on how you accessorize it.  Depending on how one styles it, you can give it a business or playful look!  
Street Luks SS12
 Most of my clothing has one thing in common, the continuous use of "zips".   The zip-it coat dresses have been the signature of most of the Anna Luks labels, all the way into my current collection of SS14 called Swahili Chic! 
Born and bred in the Swahili Land (Dar-es-Salaam) in East Africa, the Swahili Chic is a fusion of the native fabric with the Anna Luks touch.  In this collection, I continued to make use of my native fabric Khanga to bring out a simple but chic urban look.  
I have spoken about the Swahili culture several times in my earlier posts. This fabric has a rich history which I did point out a few here. 
The Masculine Style
The utilitarian feel of this collection has been adopted and made feminine.  The simple silhouette is halved by chunky zips, which makes it look masculine yet feminine and attractive.   The cut has a sophisticated looseness totally inspired by the 1960's elegance with its focus on its high alluring neckline that gives it a raw urban look.  The look is adaptable, can be worn as a dress or layered with shorts, trousers, be it baggy or skinny, long or short skirts depending on the style you want for the day. 
Binzari AW13
The look is completely versatile can be dressed up or down and still keep the chic anytime, reminiscent of Twiggy!  http://blog.egocloset.com/2012/03/26/style-muse-retro-twiggy/
Fabrics used in this collection, naturally, are cotton, printed and plain, light and heavy, silk linen, jersey, and spandex.





 Behind the Scenes Sneak Peek
Swahili Chic SS 2014








Model:  Angelica Valenzuela de Brown
Hair & Makeup:  Violet Zeng
Photographed: John Hylton