The Bite Magazine - Autmn/Winter 2020 - Issue 28

Giedre Jackyte attended the Urban MBA & Lstn Up LDN designer catwalk show at The Ministry of Sound where change is essential in this day and age. bitecatwalk CHANGE IS ESSENTIAL P erhaps the second most crucial tradition in the United Kingdom after ‘after- noon tea’ is London Fashion Week. It has been the centre of attention for nearly forty years and has attracted A-listers from all around the world. Like rock band Queen once said, ‘the show must go on’ and despite the current pandemic, London managed to carry on with fashion shows by following stringent social distancing guidelines. The second biannual London Fashion Week kicked off on 17th of September until 23rd of September with some very fascinating and stunning shows. One of them took place on the 18th when the infamous London venue,The Min- istry of Sound, opened its doors for a spectacular and highly anticipated show. Urban MBA and Lstn Up Ldn collaborated with Puma Sportstyle to create a fashion campaign that captured the essence of today’s political, sociological, and economic climate. They sent out an unequivocal and loud message ‘The Change is Essential, The Change Is Now’.The fashion show became a critical moment for inclusivity and representation in the fashion world. Kofi Oppong, the founder of award-winning charity Urban MBA, which delivers enterprise and employability training, was the driving force behind the campaign. Together with Lstn Up Ldn creative agency, they showcased three talented London designers: Saint Giovanni de la Mode, Latoyah London and Okami Ldn. The event focused on cultural references and metaphors to reach a broad audience. It was also streamed online viaYouTube and Instagram since the government put stringent restrictions on the number of people of attendees. Despite the limitations, it was a very successful event and became the talk of the town. A classical jazz player performed ‘They Reminiscence Over You’ setting the tone of the show together with a group of diverse models who carried authentic hand- made boards with messages saying: ‘Change is Now’; ‘Black Lives Matter’; ‘Change is Essential’; ‘All is Love’; and ‘NO to Fast Fashion’. Male and female models wore Puma’s unisex RS-2K Internet Exploring range alongside their Kyron Wild Beasts Women’s trainers. It was apparent that the new generation of designers is no longer accepting inferiority, corruption, and racism. The outlook displayed on the boards was further emphasised by a spoken word artist whose compassionate poetry was well-received before passing the stage to the fashion designers. The first designer was Okami Ldn, a classy and stylish African fashion brand in England. The founder, Caroline, focuses on creating ethical clothing that not only represents and celebrates African culture and fashion tradition but also serves as a bridging force for inclusivity.The collection entitled ‘Her-Story’ was homage to the bold and confident woman who wears contrasting prints.The designer explained,“It may look chaotic, but to ‘her’ it’s a beautiful story.” She further added, “I wouldn’t say I design for seasons because you can wear a summer dress in the winter with boots! I like to design limited quantities that reflect what is going on in society at the moment.” During the show, Caroline featured her main pieces: Bianca jumpsuit hand-designed in Adire cloth; a wrap top and mini skirt set in woodin fabric; Nairobi skirt; Anika midi top and mini skirt; and matching face masks. The designer is very passionate about her heritage and wants every person that comes across her designs to feel confident and proud to wear clothes from the motherland. She encourages ‘queens’ from all over the world to embrace who they are through the prints, textiles, and exclusively, her handmade designs. Caroline said,“Confidence is key in everything I URBAN MBA & LSTN UP LDN Catwalk Show