Head Of State+ Was The Highlight Of Yesterday’s NYFW: Men’s.

Perfectly cropped trousers and crisp, fresh outerwear were characteristic of the Head of State+ Spring 2018 Collection. The ten minimalist looks at the presentation, however, were rooted in a much more complex history: colonialist and post-colonialist West Africa.

Taofeek Abijako, of Lagos, Nigeria, and later Albany, New York, is the founder and designer behind this contemporary streetwear brand. Despite the lack of formal fashion training, Head of State+ was conceived while the now 19-year-old designer was still in high school.
In regards to his most recent collection, Abijako told The New York Times “I’m interested in the way the natives adopted European styles and made them their own — I can say natives because I’m African.”

"I approach Head of State+ as less of a brand and more of a case study. It’s me digging into my cultural upbringing while trying to have a firm grasp and understanding of it. My belief is furthering a philosophy of thoughtful, inconspicuous, and honest design across the board," the Nigerian-born designer shared with the CFDA.

When asked about his inspiration for the street wear brand’s “Genesis” collection, he shared that it portrays “the vibrancy of West African youth culture in the ‘70s and Fela Kuti." The new collection is guaranteed to be groundbreaking in design and social impact.

The menswear label debuted its Spring/Summer ’19 collection at Men’s New York Fashion Week on July 11 in New York City.

www.essence.com/fashion/nigerian-designer-youngest-show-new-york-mens-fashion-week

http://www.thefader.com/2017/07/11/head-of-state-nyfw-mens-west-africa


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