The “Masquerade - Masked Parade” collection aims to paint a more theatrical interpretation of James Stewart’s “Psychic Duality of Afro-Americans in the Novels of W. E. B. DuBois”. The premise of the collection rests solely on the concept of Double Consciousness borne from the designer’s own childhood. Double consciousness, the indelible mark that children of a darker pigment are born with, regardless of gender, geographic location, financial status, religion, political affiliation. Double consciousness is present in the works of black writers/artists/thinkers, all over the world, from Chinua Achebe, to Ngugu Wa Thiongo, from Toni Morrison to James Baldwin, from Fela Kuti to Malcolm X. Since “The Scramble for Africa”, slavery and most importantly colonialism, black people all over the world have learnt to coexist as multiple people in one person. Having to switch through multiple personalities as they navigate the world. The collection will convey a translation of the cadence of hip-hop through a rhythmic flow of soft padded shapes. This sustainable collection, made from recycled curtain lining, tents, bed linen and duvets, is trans-seasonal featuring oversized flowing shapes, quilting, and roundness.
