Off White™ B2B

"Pop Romance"

"There is no better place than New York City to highlight how central the influence of black culture has been in the shaping of pop culture as we know it. Disco, hip hop, graffiti, and what is today known as streetwear all flourished in the cradle created by African creatives who chose the city as their playground. Most of these phenomena happened in the 1970s,when freedom, invention, and sensuality bloomed in an urban environment that, by glaring contrast, was dire and gritty, permanently on the verge of bankruptcy. Call it invention as resistence, personal expression as a means of survival. There is a vitalistic force to this urge which is forever empowering. This collection is ideally charged with that same energy and spirit, but there is nothing nostalgic about it. Rather, I am after the sense of urgency and presence that’s equally and quintessentially NYC.

Menswear and womenswear share the same fierceness, the flared silhouettes and the sheerness, as well as the satins, that echo the 1970s, and an urban, neutral palette accented with pastels and bright notes of red and yellow. The emphasis is on the shoulders; prismatic constructions on utilitarian tailoring as well as slinky dresses are maximized by contrasts of materials and colors. Everything is graphic and heroic, with a sensuality that passes from body hugging jerseys to sturdy denims, from flou to tailoring. Luxuriant graphics add a layer of romanticism to an otherwise punchy endeavor

In reconnecting to the roots of black culture in the city,a leap forward happens putting romance where pop is”.

‍IB KAMARA