This past Saturday, artists, designers and art enthusiasts alike gathered in SafariiiCAMP’s studio to celebrate the workspace’s first fashion show, “In Season”: a spectacle that emphasized the importance of intentional art, ardent community and authentic design.
Located in Oakland, SafariiiCAMP is an established workspace for Bay Area artists. Currently the creative home to more than 50 residents, Safariii hosts painters, photographers, designers and other artists. “In Season” is the space’s first ever fashion show, highlighting nine separate resident designers.
Upon arriving at the venue, the energy was buzzing with excitement, featuring resident DJ performances to cultivate a social and alluring atmosphere. This included soundtracks which mirrored the individuality of each and every designer and their garments. Attendees of the show ranged from friends and family to the local public.
Kicking off the show on a strong note, the runway opened with a video production that highlighted Safariii as an artist space and established each of the nine fashion designers’ creative processes. The resident designers featured in the show included Angel Espinosa (@yacurlyhairedangel), Bells Howard (@moss_of_centuries), Shaye McKenney (@outbackxlibrary), Jude Nario (@nario.pdf), Nacie Loh (@nacloart), Ben Little (@mb47.art), Amadeus Medina (@kuntkouturestudios), Chelsea Maclino (@wyphys) and Kathryn Wangthamkua (@kn0ttyKat).
Each artist brought their own unique style to the runway, ranging from “kunt” to culture-focused pieces.
Whether the artist discussed their yarn-based clothing or the emotional inspiration that came with the design process, there was a universal standard that each artist emphasized. That standard was the importance of slow, intentional art derived from creative inspiration and community, which cultivates an artistic identity that can ultimately be reflected in each design product.
The first collection to take the stage was Angel Espinosa’s line, inspired by Mexican cobija blankets, Espinosa blended creativity and culture seamlessly through his emboldened fabric choices and avant garde style. The notable pieces within his collection were upcycled wool bags and cut-and-sewn hoodies.
Bold design work was a common theme for Safariii’s runway, largely seen with Bells Howard’s collection which echoed Victorian shapewear and was imbued with Gothic monolithic tonalities. The intricacies in the chainwork were admirable and the unique accessorization of horsehair embellished the audacious nature of her designs.
Shifting tones, childhood nostalgia was another theme explored largely throughout the runway show, specifically with lines by Shaye McKenney and Jude Nario. Both designers embraced neutral tones to create designs that evoked the illusory state of nostalgia. Notably, each design featured either an embroidery of a llama or the addition of a lamb plushie. Through accessorization and multitextile approaches, these collections underscored how deliberate fashion design can be utilized to capture a certain feeling.
The collections of Nacie Loh and Ben Little follow suit, with Loh’s work defined by bright youthful patchwork and Little’s work highlighting his experience as a painter, each design featuring beautiful hand-painted artistry.
However, no collection captured emotion better than the collaboration line by Amadeus Medina and Chelsea Macalino. Arguably the best collection of the night, Medina’s and Macalino’s work captured the dark sensuality that fashion can curate. The designs utilized a mix of animal-inspired print work, bright coloring and purposeful accessories that toed the lines of sexuality, fetishization and cultural allusion.
The final collection of the night came from Kathryn Wangthamkua, who delivered an impressive number of hand-crocheted designs to close the show. Ranging in color, form and eclecticism, Wangthamkua reimagined the grandma hobby of crochet, turning it into a punk rock spectacle of fresh design.
Closing the show with “Two of Hearts” by Stacey Q, the show was a testament to the community and unification that defines SafariiiCamp and its collective. Fashion is a space that can be easily saturated with routine design and attention paid only to trendiness. But, with “In Season,” Safariii’s resident designers broke that agenda, going against the normative fashion sphere to create a uniquely conscious show that celebrates community, individuality and authenticity in the design realm.