By Josephine Agbonkhese

In the realm of fashion, the fusion of the past and present creates a unique and enchanting aesthetic. The result, always, is a harmonious blend that is both timeless and elegantly modern.

By drawing inspiration from the old, talented contemporary designers are expressing their uniqueness and weaving a personal touch into their creations, slowly blending into modern wardrobes the elegance of yesteryears.

Olabisi O’dunne, one of Africa’s leading fashion brands, effortlessly captures this essence. Fondly called O’dunne, the brand, under the creative leadership of its Founder/CEO, Alawusa Azizah Adunola, is embodying the essence of refined elegance while upholding the allure of yesteryears.

The designer of Nigerian descent is literally creating an ageless world of sophistication and modesty that upholds culture, functionality and sustainability.

With every piece— whether bridal or created for any other special occasion, O’dunne, renowned for crafting timeless pieces that infuse vintage fashion with modernity, conveys its commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly fashion practices.

Iyawo Nupojipeto

In one of her creations labeled Iyawo Nupojipeto, a Yoruba phrase that directly translates into ‘The Supreme Bride’ in English, O’dunne brings a fresh, sleek perspective to the grandeur of the retro era.

In fact, the roaring 80s literally make a dazzling comeback in this two-piece which audaciously celebrates the opulence of vintage elegance.

The outfit combines a cropped top with an underskirt that was originally made for a bride’s Nikkah (Muslim marriage ceremony), concealing a lace jumpsuit for her reception. This underskirt which, gallantly, celebrates contemporary African fashion and upholds modesty, was intentionally reused to create this electrifying vintage-inspired editorial shoot in tandem with the designer’s philosophy of upholding sustainable and eco-friendly fashion.

While the cropped top stylishly offers a daring nod to contemporary fashion, its dramatic sleeves yet add a touch of the past, creating a subtle blend.

The designer’s choice of fabric— a combination of bondage style asooke and handsewn organza (about 200 yards), however forms the most noticeable feature this outfit. This generous use of fabric, in itself, elegantly pays homage to artistic expression and cultural legacy, while the African asooke print renowned for its stocky texture and longevity, also instantly adds sophistication to the ensemble.

The meticulously crafted voluminous petal detachable overskirt screams affluence, class and elegance, offering a unique glam that instantly levels-up the wearer’s style.

Its long, voluminous train gives a polished, elegant look to the high-waisted underskirt, creating a striking visual effect. The skirt thus flows beautifully, enhancing the figure.

Most noticeable is the designer’s use of zero embellishments on this outfit, just like many other creations from the O’dunne stable. The can be attributed to its appreciation of clean lines and draped forms, only using embellishments when it fits the narrative of the creation.

Notwithstanding, several other striking features however set the outfit way apart. One of such prominent features is the blouse’s high neckline which offers a defined, elegant shape for the face and neck. Likewise, a perforated or mesh-like stripe detailing fitted around its dramatic sleeves and across its chest region, adds some extra glamour to the overall design, ensuring the blouse remains versatile and timelessly stylish; and allowing for pairing with many different outfits for a more relaxed style.

In totality, the asymmetric blouse is an alluring fusion of modern fashion aesthetics and cultural elegance, presenting a unique blend of classic elements and contemporary design.

Eniewa

Nothing is more uniquely feminine and charming than layered tulle dresses. This lightweight fabric has come to symbolise the essence of womanhood: sexy yet pure, strong yet sensitive. O’dunne again uniquely embodies this charm in another of its creations, the Eniewa dress (translated ‘a person who embodies beauty’).

Crafted from one hundred percent tulle fabric, the neon pink ball dress with carpet furry details along the upper hip region, was one of the designer’s masterpieces showcased during the 2022 Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards, AMVCA, runway show where the designer emerged one of the top nine finalists.

The predominantly vintage-inspired glove dress featuring a high neckline corset bodice and a plunging sweetheart neckline, is a classy blend of modern fashion with a touch of the old weaved-in by its extended glove detailing. Gloves are reminiscent of the 16th century Queen Elizabeth era, and have actually evolved as a symbol of elegance and status for royalties over the years. This makes the dress the perfect choice for any woman seeking to gracefully exude royalty and charm. Also reminiscent of Barbie, Eniewa’s tasteful silhouette is fascinating, with a snatched waist that flatters the wearer’s silhouette.

Spectacularly, its carefully chosen colour— pink, further creates a strong visual impact and adds depth to the outfit, qualifying this work of outstanding artistry as an excellent choice for any woman who loves sophisticated modernity.

The subtle drape detailing on the busts also gives the Eniewa dress an extra charm, giving the illusion of volume to the busts; a quality that makes it suitable for women requiring an extra boost to their busts for enhanced fitting.

The free-flowing lower half of the dress allows for easy comfort and movement, making the outfit’s overall structure suitable for a variety of body types regardless of shape.

O’dunne’s attention to detail is evident in every aspects of the designing process of this work of art— from sketching to designing, sewing and finishing, clearly making the masterpiece a perfect display of art and fashion.

Biaji

In another nod to the allure of vintage fashion, O’dunne, in another masterpiece from her 2022 creations, displays the power of fashion to evoke memories.

Crafted from a rich green liquid organza, this dress creativity titled Biaji in western Nigerian Yoruba language, celebrates the designers of the 1950s and femme fatale of that era. It clearly was made to reimagine the African woman in that era as subtly implied by the wearer’s elegant Afro hairstyle. Also, the choice of colour stands firmly as a symbol of the readiness and acceptance of a black identity in a captivating and enticing manner.

The dress features an adjoined graceful shawl that highlights utter femininity, a distinct feature that celebrates refined grace and modern sophistication, while stylishly offering some warmth. The elbow-length sleeves further enhances this feature, making the dress a great choice for any weather condition.

Surprisingly, the Biaji dress carries no embellishment whatsoever but yet stands tall as a sophisticated fashion statement. In addition, its liquid organza fabric effortlessly steals the show in any occasion, making the dress a perfect choice for any woman seeking to make a regal entry into at any occasion.

Despite its simplicity, the Biaji dress creates a strong visual attraction that gives a dynamic, modern and chic vibe, making minimal use of accessories a no-brainer since the glossy nature of the fabric effortlessly pulls attention with every movement.

Iya Ibeji

O’dunne yet again expresses her exceptional creativity and penchant for sophisticated elegance in another creation— the Iya Ibeji dress. This mint green dress uniquely made to honour the playfulness and divinity of a woman who brings forth life, as highlighted by the sprouting flowers in the background, effortlessly distinguishes the wearer.

Iya Ibeji, a common Yoruba translation for ‘twin mother’, perfectly captures the inspiration behind the creation of the dress which, clearly, was named after a twin mother for her birthday celebration. The fabric’s colour therefore specially commemorates the bloom into the new age.

In keeping with the creative philosophy of the O’dunne brand, the one-shoulder asymmetric dress featuring bold drape detailing, portrays sophisticated femininity and refined luxury while also balancing modernity/modesty with vintage inspiration.

Featuring an asymmetric neckline and ball silhouette, the one hundred percent tulle dress is a daring nod to classic feminine style. This neckline adds a touch of classic elegance, subtly showing off some skin in a manner that, yet, exudes class. This gives the dress a polished look, letting the intricate patterns stand out without distracting from the overall style.

The Iya Ibeji dress is amazingly tailored to perfection. This is evident in its silhouette which is designed to shape the upper body, creating a snug but comfortable fit, while the lower body’s voluminous chic flare enhances the wearer’s figure with its multilayered detailing, while also allowing unrestricted movement.

The wearer’s delicate use of accessories: zero necklace, simple pair of earrings, sleek wristwatch and a plain wedding band, add a touch of elegance and refinement without overpowering the outfit’s overall aesthetic. This upholds minimalism as a surefire way to elevate style and embrace posh simplicity.

This stunning work of art further reinforces the brand’s undiluted commitment to empowering every woman to exude confidence and grace on their most momentous occasion.

Upholding global standards

As evident in all of her creations, the Olabisi O’dunne brand distinctly understands the need to uphold global standards (particularly sustainability) with its craft even while maintaining its obsession for the allure of vintage fashion.

The designer’s unique ability to uphold the values of circular fashion as a functional model in sustainability reinforces its determination to encourage fashion enthusiasts to borrow grand dresses for both photo shoots and special occasions, and then return afterwards.

This, the brand strongly believes, will create awareness for circularity and prevent unnecessary hoarding and overconsumption of fashion products. In line with this philosophy and as part of the brand’s eco-conscious and sustainable fashion practices, most of its masterpieces are made available for rentals.