By Rita Okoye

There certainly is a mood to Noel, seemingly the Christmas capsule collection launched just on the eve of Christmas, December 23, 2023, by Nigerian fashion label Maison Lawal, with Oyindamola Lawal as the illustrator and pattern maker endowed with instinctive, almost minimalist elegance.

It is an introspective statement to conclude the year with. The collection, featuring sleeveless kaftan-style two-piece sets, celebrates clarity in design decisions. And hence the collection brings to focus the strength of Oyindamola in illustration and pattern making.

There is no denying that Oyindamola’s understanding of form and proportion is very deliberate.

His background in illustration is evident in the way volume is balanced: the tunics do not weigh down the models; on the contrary, the drop-shoulder armholes are cut to fall softly rather than to sag.

The necklines switch depth and curve finishes almost experimentally: one tunic tilts towards sharp notched-V with a blunt point; the other tilts towards a soft scooped curve. Both tops fall just below the hips on a suppressing grading that respects body proportions and aligns neatly with the rise of the trousers, thus avoiding any bunching at the waistline. At a glance, one observes the background of Oyindamola in the discipline of fashion illustration — drawing disproportionate attention to the balance of visual weight across garments. Through his illustration, he is able to give a complete sense of form to the garment on the body, which is indeed commendable.

Elegant yet relaxed philosophies in the choice of fabrics work in tandem with the collection. The fabrics flow with the fit but do not seem to challenge the build of the garment, which is a double-edged sword. But then, for a Christmas capsule, some sputtering with the fabric could have brought in some festivity, without making it too loud.

The collection is comfortable and is suitable for the West African climate, as well as for semi-formal seasonal occasions. Still, the collection does not dare to stretch the imagination.

The technically skilled tailors would find these a bit mundane, the culturally-inclined miss the narrative, and the lover of straightforward looks will feel the collection is a breath of fresh air.

Considered technically competent and grounded culturally, the range, i.e., Maison Lawal’s “Noel,” is less daring from the house. These are arguably the second-tier commercial fashion pieces that can sell well if backed by narration, branding, and sufficiently refined construction.

Yet from the international buyer’s or the beautician’s perspective, the collection would have stood to gain had it been pushed deeper down the road by ways of fabric experiments, technical innovations, or layered pattern making. Oyindamola Lawal, in his line of work next, would do well to lend an edge to the design concept; not in the vain hope that he might throw it away but to enrich it. The eye is there. The hand is steady. The next step? Let the garments speak louder.