A Review on SS24 Collection: Dreamy illusions
To some, fashion is life. To others, it is hope, symbolic of freedom, beauty, and fame.
But the real question is ‘What is fashion to you?’ To us, fashion is a combination of it all. It is the glam, the satisfactory cheers at a well-created piece, it is the awe and jaw-dropping designs that glide through the runway. At London’s Fashion Week 2024, fashion came alive to us.
The event was held in the historic Grand Connaught Rooms in Covent Garden which was transformed into a grandeur hall for the sake of revolutionising fashion.
This transformation was led by the prestigious Lady Ayobami Animashaun who organised the event in such a way that it was being hailed as an emotional moment in British-African history during the 40th year of London Fashion Week.
The event marked yet another impactful milestone for intercultural exchange. It helped foster collaborative ideas, artistry and economic opportunities between the two continents. Through the setup, sustainable partnerships, cultural diplomacy, and strengthened economic ties were established.
Many fashion enthusiasts both renowned and upcoming designers were present for the event, showcasing their sets of stylishly designed collections on the runway. A few of the designers who were present were Ugo Monye, a crafting expert for Agbada wear, Yoli Koomson from Ghana, Eberechukwu George, and Ifeoma Umenyiora amongst others.
When it came down to bringing their best show, all the designers brought on their A-game but as they say, there has to be one that stood out the most and that one was Ifeoma Umenyiora’s SS24 Collection. Now, hers was the kind of innovation the fashion industry needs.
The SS24 Collection is a production of Pillz ‘n Poizn, a brand established by revolutionary designers, Eberechukwu Chioma George and Ifeoma Umenyiora in February 2018.
The brand is dedicated to showcasing every woman’s unique essence, by combining innovative styles with impeccable craftsmanship and committed to creating pieces that inspire confidence, and highlight the beauty in diversity.
Through the relentless effort of the Eberechukwu and Ifeoma, Pillz ‘n Poizn has debuted several of its collections in events such as the Lagos Fashion Week, Glitz Fashion Week Accra, African Fashion Week London, Vanity Hub, and Paris Fashion Week.
In 2022, they hit a significant milestone when they were called upon to design outfits for the contestants of the renowned Miss Universe Angola beauty pageant. This just goes on to show the time, effort and commitment poured into crafting attires that resonate elegance and sophistication both locally and globally.
Pillz ‘n Poizn has also created a seat for itself among the top names in that fashion industry by gaining recognition in prestigious fashion publications. Due to their collaboration with Flying Solo New York, the brand was able to be featured in a variety of magazines, including Lovely Magazine (May 2023), Bloom Magazine (August 2023), Elle Slovenia, MALVIE: The Artist Edition (November 2023), L’Officiel Ukraine, Bazaar Vietnam, and Style Cruze Magazine.
One of the many collections of the brand that had branded it with such a sky-high reputation is the SS24 collection we have been talking about. What is this collection?
It’s a fully packed fashion ride that would keep your eyes glued to the screen while wanting more. It is a compilation of delicately crafted designs that showcase elegance, class, creativity and sophistication. It ranks a hundred on steeze and composure!
The very first of the SS24 collection to majestically grace the runway is a sleeveless ballgown. Mere looking at the dress takes you down the British historical lane where ball gowns and dresses were a norm and if you are a big fan of the series ‘The‘Bridgeton’, then this dress should ring a bell.
The apparel was made with a thick coarse vintage fabric with a sequence addition. The beautiful attire is a floor-length flared piece with several astonishing features. The introductory attribute of the outfit is the deep plunged square neckline, followed by the upside-down keyhole at the mid-waist region. It also has a deep front slit on the left side of the dress and a mini two-step flare that stops mid-thigh.
Ranging from the model used down to the hairstyle and the visible accessories, this dress checks off all the items on the list of what a dinner ball gown should look like. However, the two-step feature could be substituted for a single step. This would give it a milder and more sophisticated look. Aside from this, the outfit is nothing short of perfect.
The second design in Ifeoma’s collection is a classy Caribbean outfit. Cat-walking through the runway on the model, it displayed all its glory and aesthetics. This dress is also a floor-length wear. However, unlike the first look, it wasn’t created to look traditional but rather fancy, chic and unique.
It is given an overall chiffon look with a backing of silk fabric on the lower half of the dress. The upper region design consists of an asymmetric neckline and an extravagantly long mono-strapped sleeve. This part of the set was created with the use of a white-yellow floral embroidered chiffon fabric.
The lower half takes on a completely different but vibrant colour and due to the type of flare used in creating the dress, it can be likened to popular Caribbean skirt designs. This skirt holds a characteristic of ruffles and a tiny crystal used in beading. The dress can be worn to high-class or socialite parties and events as it carries the aura of the 1%.
Can you remember the ‘H2O’ era?
It was one of the movies in the early 2000s that made a lot of individuals become more aware of the mythical being generally known as a mermaid.
On that note, what is the first word that comes to mind when you look at this dress?
If you got the hint and guessed ‘mermaid’, then you are right!
The mermaid set of the SS24 collection is a straight long gown with subtle features that make the dress pop. The colour skim was an intelligent move by the designer.
The sequence fabric used held all the component colours of the sea, the whitish designs placed on strategic locations in the outfit are made to look like seashells and pearls.
The combination of dark and bright shades of blue for the hairdo is similar to a representation of mushy sea weeds underneath the surface of the water and the slant flare running from the hip region to the other lower half as the mermaid tail effect. All of these designs fused is a nostalgic cry to sing the popular “Under the Sea” song of ‘The Little Mermaid.’
The swirls and turns of this final piece make it a very daring look. Upon taking a closer look at it, the fabric texture and overall flow of the attire also binged on the underwater look. However, in contrast to the last piece, this has a darker feel to it. It’s not bubbly or cheery, rather it is stern but classy and elegant.
Still riding on the “under the sea” effect, the swirls by the shoulder, the electric colour and the fin-like design characteristics used in crafting the dress can be attributed back to some sea creatures like the octopus and the jellyfish.
This design makes the dress all the more interesting and fascinating to viewers as they are left in wonder about how such a piece was achieved.
This piece was designed using a fishline, a heavily beaded fabric, and a two-toned satin fabric. These materials were used to create the swirl on the upper part of the strapless dress, the beaded fishtail design at the hip region and the flowing A-line at the bottom part consecutively.
The dress is indeed a jaw-dropping piece but we believe that a few changes could be made on the bottom half of the dress using a different fabric or aligning it with the same fabric used at the upper bodice.
In conclusion, Piillz ‘n Poizn is a name to be reckoned with. The style, taste of wear, detailed tailoring and astonishing designs they brought to the occasion, singles them out of the crowd at first glance. We are amazed by the sneer show of effort and dedication portrayed through each piece, we commend the designer for coming up with such unique initiatives and hope to see more of her brand.
