Kenneth Ize took a short break after the success of his Spring Summer presentation in March 2022 so that he could spend some time beginning on a voyage of complete immersion into the Lagos Experience. This allowed him to have a deeper understanding of the city’s culture and traditions. For the first time in the seven years that he has lived in his apartment in Ikoyi, he has been able to take some time off and fully bring himself in the day-to-day movements of Lagos living. Additionally, he has been able to investigate the concept of stability in relation to his relationships in both his professional and personal life.
Designer Kenneth Ize went on a voyage of inspiration for his Fall Winter 2023 collection, visiting numerous sites of the region he proudly and most dearly calls home, such as the Katangua market in the heart of the Lagos Mainland. He was led on this journey by the concept of finding beauty in its most raw forms, which is seen in many fairy tales. This voyage inspired him to set himself the challenge of rethinking design from the very first principle by taking activities such as getting materials from unexpected vendors such as the roadside vendors who play an important role in the economy of Lagos. Because of this, the collection achieves a harmony between the more well-known original patterns created by Kenneth Ize, which are centred on the art and technology of the weaving process, and the Lagosian habit of upcycling existing objects, which ultimately results in the creation of items of value.
Kenneth staged the runway for the fashion show that was held on Sunday, 15th January 2023 on the streets of Norman Williams. This is the street on which he has walked Cosmo, his dog, daily for the past year and which has offered revolving access to new inspiration over the course of the creation of the collection. Kenneth’s goal was to present the collection against an authentic backdrop stemming from the inspiration for the collection.
The atmosphere in Lagos often presents a pretty stimulating sense that can land at either extreme, posing a challenge to every individual to locate the positive aspect that can be found across all of these experiences. The concept of “Backward Never, forward Ever” came about as a direct result of the mindset that inspired it. It is the steadfast resiliency that is the defining trait of perseverance that is deeply ingrained in the soul of every Lagosian, and the subtle messaging to keep the torch burning as translated through popular roadside stickers with their bold typography and colour that has given birth to this theme and perhaps mantra for what the future holds for the Kenneth Ize the brand. Both of these factors have contributed to the conception of this theme.
With this collection, Kenneth extends an invitation to everyone from all walks of life to redefine the limits of design and creativity as something that is defined entirely by one’s thinking and the willingness to appreciate the beauty that can be found in the everyday.
