By Josephine Agbonkhese

Bukonla Hannah Ambali, the creative force behind Bouqui Glam House, is a conscientious fashion designer who builds her designs through every phase to arrive at a quality piece that reaffirms every woman’s confidence and validates her spirit of artistic inventiveness.

One of her diverse strengths is draping, evident in her debut of the Five dreams AW ’25 collection at the New York Fashion Week on February 8, 2025.

This collection is a showcase of a designer invested in the craft of garment construction by manifesting every fundamental and advanced draping technique.

In this collection, Bukonla expresses bold and experimental draping techniques. She explored asymmetry and ensured that her techniques worked well with the fabrics chosen for the dresses in the collection, including satin, fringe, etc. In certain pieces like the Caramel Dress, transitions where the corsetry had to meet the fringe skirt were neatly crafted to ensure little to minor inconsistencies.

She displayed adequate knowledge of measurement points, as areas like the bodice and waistlines were well-defined. This ensured that the intended fit was maintained, although some dresses, like the Shadow Dress, required refinement at tension points. T

The seaming on the corset panels resulted in slight rippling in areas where the fabric should have maintained its structure, resulting from uneven tension distribution. Bukonla Hannah Ambali’s approach to draping and experimental design echoes the technical ingenuity of Prudent Gabriel Okopi, particularly in the way she manipulates fabric to create both structure and movement.

In terms of garment construction, her choice of stitches was appropriate. She made use of overlock stitch in the Caramel Dress along the inner seams to prevent fraying, topstitching on the Shadow Dress for the boning to reinforce the structure of the dress, and rolled hem stitch for the draped skirt of the Wild Desire Dress.

Bukonla Hannah Ambali also showcased innovation in her designs. Many of the pieces featured unique styles and dimensions. The Venom Dress is particularly unique. For this dress, she pushed the boundaries of pleating and layering to achieve a wave-like shaped gown. The way the fabric held its shape without visible stitching or support testified to the advanced couture construction techniques used in tailoring this dress. The collection incorporated traditional couture elements like corsetry, floral appliqué, and beading but infused them with a fresh perspective into the designs.

Five Dreams AW ‘2025’s most substantial marketplace prospects lie in celebrity styling and special orders. While the designs have a runway presence, their high-maintenance construction may require custom fittings, limiting accessibility to a niche but dedicated clientele. With further refinement, Bukonla Hannah Ambali has the potential to carve a lasting space in high fashion. Bukonla clearly understands the principles of draping and garment construction, but achieving a seamless marriage of rigid and fluid elements remains a work in progress.