Qasimi invites you to dare to dream. Drawing parallels between the subculture of Nineties grunge and the Bloomsbury Group, this season is about a community of revolutionaries, standing for the belief that art can be a conduit for change.
The clothes are centred around the concept of wrapping, hugging and protecting in a time of yet more uncertainty and upheaval.
Fabrics are conjured from the interior settings of the Bloomsbury Group meeting rooms: slubby velvets, chenille brocades, mohair, chenille yarns and silky padding. Houndstooth, barathea and tweed-inspired fabric, synonymous with Savile Row tailoring, are derived from the brand’s second home, the UK. Paying homage to the country’s rich sartorial heritage.
Silhouettes take their cue from turn of the 21st century fashions where minimalism rules, allowing the fabrics and prints to speak out. Shapes are copious but structured around the body with tailoring precision.
AW21 colours are rich but muted, referencing the culture of Yemen. Softer notes of laurel and muted lime are hardened by ivy; heather with rum and deep purple; cumin and copper with heritage brick and saffron. Prints take a rebellious stance, riffing on the region’s military camouflage but then contrasted with a softer power: the motif of the tulip – found in arts and crafts across the Islamic world.
This season’s message continues the brand’s ideology: standing up for civil rights and fighting in equality, bearing a spirit of hope and optimism. An example of this is the words of Konrad Adenauer: “We all live under the same sky” printed onto detachable panels and buttoned to outerwear like posters to a wall, or in the commandment “Dream!” written in Arabic calligraphy on jerseywear and echoed by the words “Free At Last” in English, referencing Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speech of 1963. Finally, “Live for What You Desire” is simply an encouragement to be yourself – no matter who you are, what gender you love, or what god you worship.
This season sees the brand producing a film, choreographed by Bakani Pick-up Company, blending movements from a fashion show with that of a performance; exploring the very nature of what a fashion show can be. Music is composed by Visionist. Both partnerships, highlighting Qasimi’s commitment to the arts community by creating synergies that form a unique visual and auditory experience of the clothes.
All images courtesy of Qasimi
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Hoor Al-Qasimi @hooralq STYLIST Raphael Hirsch @raphaelhirsch CASTING Troy Fearn @troyfuss CHOREOGRAPHY Bakani Pick-Up Company @bakanipickupcompany MUSIC Visionist @visionist__ ART DIRECTOR Nicolas Santos @nicolas_santos JEWELLERY Shaun Leane @shaunleanejewellery HAIR Kiyoko Odo @kiyokoodo MAKE-UP Ammy Drammeh @ammydrammeh VIDEO DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Premices Films @studiopremices PHOTOGRAPHY (Runway) Jason Lloyd-Evans @jasonlloydevans PHOTOGRAPHY (Social) Anna-Lena Krause @anna.lena.krause