My Graduation collection was inspired by the Knife crimes that happened in summer 2018. The media blamed Drill culture for the reason of knife crime in London. Taking from that, I started asking a question “could the future of London dress code be wearing protective clothing as a day-to-day clothing”. This led me to observing police workers how they patrol in and out of my community wearing protective clothing. I wondered why won’t they provide us what they wear if it is that bad. I bought ex policeman bullet/sab proof vests and deconstructed them to my own understanding mixing how youth dress and how police dress.
After I graduated I was approached by a stylist, Lita Styles who had an interest in the collection after attending my graduation show. We collaborated and approached the same project with a renovated idea from the original theme “Roadman”. The final out come was immensely natural. We came out with a story of three men in the jungle of South London trying to survive and the only way to survive is living a sinful lifestyle. As I have an African background, voodoo and bad spirits are real life lifestyle for certain people. I believe for someone to convince themselves that I will kill or deleted another being surely a certain spirit would of entered in their body. The jungle is ruthless and full of unexplainable things whether you are trying to survive or protect yourself. The face painting represents dark spiritual protection while the silhouettes represents physical protection.
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#1 Secrete Beauty 1 and 2
This project was based on how death can be seen beautiful in the cycle of life. I was caught up with the way people dress up and prepare for the partcilar event. I focused on the tradition English funerals dressing code which was and still is black and white formal clothing. while working on my research I found my self adding Gold in the color palette because of the research I found. I brought in the colour Gold by using the method of embellishments and manipulation of fabric, inspired by decoration of flowers left on top of a grave.
#2 Alive
This project was a bespoke peice I was asked to do for a friend who is an Artist, a Painter. She wanted to give this jacket to her daughter who had who was turned 26 years old. As myself I identify as a men’s wear fashion designer and this was my first time to challenge myself to do a women’s wear piece. I called it Alive because the was a chance for me to expand of my skills as well as exercising my Artistic side people don’t get to expirience. Creating a female client for Ten Motiwa was something new and adventurous. “When you feel Growth that’s when you feel Alive”
#3 Collaboration Shoot
I worked for Deborah brand, which was a corset specialist brand. Deborah liked my work I had done in the past and she wanted a collaboration. I felt honoured to be asked for such opportunity. This was good for me from a designer point of view. It opened my eyes and to other doors of ideas I could try out in the future for Ten Motiwa as this was an absorbing experience when it came to women’s also styling.
#4 I worked with one client, I had made a track suit for. I told her I think it was a good idea to do something about
#BLACKHistoryMonth and she said “Am half Jamaican X and half Guyanese > but born in London.”
When my self and @lita_styles where working on the installation we wanted to enhance the originality of the
concept..we thought of messing with traditional food ingredients that are native to both countries (> +X) …so to create the graphics we used Sorrel leaves, curry powder, water crackers, turmeric and other ingredients+ spray paint.
As for our canvas we created the TenMotiwg signature “newspapers” foundation. The results was excellent. Further that can be seen as reflected to the current COVID restrictions, the beauty of simplicity..
#5 “Valued Till SICKNESS Comes”
This Project was put together during Covid 19 in 2020. On the News there was a moment where nurses and doctors where valuable during the heights of lockdown. The whole country was clapping hands for the key workers. As soon as things starting getting better Nurses and Doctors wanted pay raises as they saved the country from high deaths compared to other countries. The government did not see that as a priority. I happened to be a part time worker and my local hospital in Basildon during that time I worked weekends as a cleaner and caterer for food. It was interesting how
you can be someone to no body as soon you are not in use. I woke the PPE garments and I liked the silhouettes I had a chance try on. This lead me to make my own piece inspired by Covid 19 protection wear to add in your Wardrobe.
#6 “F” Purple habits
This is a bespoke piece…. I asked the client what’s your worst habit and she replied “swearing” F**K.
#****************K
Women’s Wear
As Ten Motiwa has been involved in the fur Industry. We have had a lot of recommendations from word of mouth and
this happened to be one of the projects which we where happy to take part in. This client was going on a winter traveling tourism in United States and she wanted a Brown fur Hat.
#8 Afro meets Motiwa
Mens Wear
We were given African fabric to experiment with, This was a challenge for Ten Motiwa as Normally our inspirations are
triggered by the western world (UK) be we had a client who wanted the Ten Motiwa signature cut mixed with an African
touch of material.
#9 “The FUTURE OF FASHION” RoadM
Technology is The fashion of the ’90s. It affects everyone, and everyone is interested in it either from fear of being left behind or because they have a real need to use technology ” JAY CHIAT.
As we are moving in the new extended digital world we were approached by NAMES PN which is a company that work with a lot of digital fashion content using CLO 3D. The visuals where taken from Ten Motiwa’s masters ……….. his collaboration was going to be presented At London Fashion week. Bear in mind that this was going to be presented during the time where social distance was implied because of covid. Ten Motiwa had to find a way to adapted to a new
different way of presenting the work to the people. In the future Ten would like to expand on this project as it opened new ideas for the future for the brand.
