Earlier this week, I did a post on how I styled a lovely Loza Maleombho top for a weekend festival. In case it's your first time hearing of this borgeouning Ivorian designer, I thought I'd delve more deeply into her designs in hopes that you may enjoy them as much as I do. So here is my first installation of "Posh People," which highlight fashionable black and African designers and influencers from around the world.
Loza has had quite the global experience over the course of her life, residing in Brazil, New York and Abijan at different points. After her education and training in the United States, she moved to Ivory Coast with the goal of starting her own design label and empowering local women by producing her clothes locally as well. The result of this venture has been a series of clothing lines, imagery and design schemes that never fail to shake up the Internet or the runway. I would describe Loza's designs as mix between the romance of Dolce and Gabana and the structural seduction of Rosie Assoulin. She never fails to strike a keen balance between pushing the boundaries of the contemporary West African design landscape, and remaining culturally and historically relevant. Here are a few out takes from the preview of her Autumn/Winter 2016 line, which was inspired by the Ashanti/Akan Queen Pokua, predessesor of the Ivorian Baoule ethnic group, whose shrewd and fearless attitude greatly advanced the borders of her empire:
What do you think? Personally, I'm ready to give it all away for those over the knee sandals. Thanks for reading!