Ikiré Jones is a Philly-based apparel company that carries a big banner. The duo behind it—designer and creative director Walé Oyéjidé and tailor Sam Hubler—describes the brand as marrying "the romance of Classic art with the vibrance of West African culture." It's a tall order, but in a short video directed by J.M. Harper, Oyéjidé and Hubler explain how their respective heritages and their experiences as immigrants to the U.S. inform their work, and inspire the textures and shapes of the product—flowing, beautifully patterned silk scarves and squares, and structured, thoughtful garments.
This excerpt from a short story published on Ikiré Jones' website further illustrates the brand's aesthetic and origins:
We are the children of migration. Some of us were the victims of cruel circumstance and crueler men. Many of us were taken before our time.
But we are here. And from beyond the skies, our voices will guide you, if you listen. As we forever sing.
Watch the video above, and drool over the pair's S/S 2016 afrofuturism-inspired reimagination of contemporary menswear, snapped by renowned photographer Rog Walker, below.
