Wana Sambo Presents ‘Sidewalks are Runways’ Cruise Collection ’10 Lookbook

I can’t stop gushing about all the new talent finding their way into the Nigerian Fashion Industry and niching out a market for themselves.

Wana Sambo is the new kid on the block. She’s been in the background for quite a while as an underground fashion designer, and now she has finally come out with a collection- “Sidewalks are Runways”

“Wana Sambo is a label for young fashionistas who dare to be different. The designs are purely African with an urban conspiracy. The label’s eccentricity leaves no room for jumping on the bandwagon of today’s style. Coco Chanel says: in order to be irreplaceable, be different. Wana Sambo says: never try to understand a design, simply appreciate it. Her vociferous designs leave her pristine.”- Wana Sambo

Wana’s bold personality as a designer carries the brand, which comes off as fresh, innovative, different, embracing of sub-cultures and non-conformist which in the mix of an Industry in which most designers tilt towards structure, refinement, simplicity and femininity, is something we ought to look forward to.  The debut collection- ‘Sidewalks are Runways’ is embracing of all these elements we attribute to the brand and vividly articulates the brand’s personality.

As much as I am absolutely loving the talent we have out there, and what they consistently put forward, having that bit of variety makes it all the merrier. Every designer with their fashion forward followers. What Wana Sambo presents is diversity to what I would like to describe as a dynamic Nigerian Fashion Industry.

Wana Sambo talks to BN about her first collection and the idea behind the lookbook.

Wana Sambo on ‘Sidewalks are Runways‘:

The inspiration for the Wana Sambo ‘Sidewalks are Runways’ Cruise Collection ’10 was drawn from the streets. On the sidewalks, you see every form of creativity, style and persona expressed through people’s dressing. This collection can be taken straight from the lookbook into a woman’s closet because it has a piece for every occasion. Work, play, boat cruise, chilling-at-friend’s, out to dinner, or just hanging out. I wanted to show the versatility of a collection with it still telling a story. The relaxed yet sharp/smart silhouettes used in this collection would work very well for a lot of women and their various body types, making these women daring and captivating.

On what inspired the collection:

The 70’s/80’s inspired most of this collection. I focused on reinventing classics, in cool, lucid, and twisted ways, at the same time, ensuring the pieces are all urban-cool. The ra-ra skirts, the blazers, the shorts, the loose fitting blousons, shoulder-pads, which make the woman’s shoulder broader, are all statements of power dressing; what you see on the street daily. The Skirts are demure while the dresses’ cuts and shapes are subtly cut to fit.

About the lookbook:

In the lookbook, the shoot describes the unspoken rivalry between humans, the quest for achieving more wealth, success or fame than another, which leaves us constantly on our toes or just headstrong against one another. Here, it’s the case of two friends who constantly want to be ahead of each other without realizing they end up doing the same things, but expressing them differently.
‘Sidewalks are Runways‘ blends school-girl sweetness with an edgy street-chic sophistication.

View ‘Sidewalks are Runways‘ Exclusively on BellaNaija.com

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Credits: Photography: Flagship Life & Peter Bello |Stylist: Terence Sambo | Models: Medey & Emem |