Women’s contemporary fashion has been a dominant force for the past 35 to 40 years. This fashion is said to have originated as far back as the 1980s and 1990s. Nevertheless, it has slowly but surely entered the fashion market and evolved over the years, offering a blend of high fashion and wearable streetwear.

To date, women’s contemporary fashion continues to top the charts, and many fashion designers in Nigeria and abroad, so far, have invested in making their clients not only look glamorous, but absolutely breathtaking.
Today, I will be taking a look at the fashion columns of one of the fashion houses that has made this so for her clients as well, Desiree Iyama.

Named after the creative director and founder, Desiree Iyama is a Nigerian womenswear brand created to satisfy women who see fashion as a vital expression of their everyday life. The fashion brand offers contemporary clothing with bold yet romantic silhouettes and edgy yet fluid designs.

Desiree Iyama’s SS26 collection titled ‘Everything in Time’ is a reflection of the brand’s style.
The first design is what I like to call the ‘beehive.’
This statement peplum gown comes in a soft and unique fabric. It has the pattern and detail of a beehive, and its colour tilts a little bit towards yellow and cream.

The structure of this gown is calculative. From the sleeveless arm to the bogus folds, every detail is put together to create a statement on arrival.
On the left side of the chest, the designers added a little detail that, in fact, concludes why this dress should be called a beehive. The brand uses a bee embroidery to give the dress a more natural and artistic look.

Now, of course, the bee details are not the only thing this dress has to offer. For the star of the show, the bogus folds complement the fitted upper body, creating an easy flow from top to bottom.
This design is visible for petite women who are not afraid to show a little skin and make bold statements.

Recommendation
This dress is very multi-purpose. It can serve as a runway fit, an event, a corporate or ceremonial fit. However, because of the bogus fold at the lower part of the dress, it might look too overwhelming to be worn casually on a normal day.
To make it even for women who don’t really like doing ‘too much’ in their outfits, the designer should consider making this dress in another style. For instance, instead of a bogus fold or peplum, the designer could go for a flattened three-layer step.

This gives preference to the wearer and reduces heaviness for clients who just want to look simple. Also, I recommend that the designers make another batch of this dress in long sleeves. As stated earlier, not every wearer loves to show off their skin. Having this as an option is simply a go-to for such kind of clients.

The second look comes in with a lot of details. The army green gown is positioned to not just give an elegant look, but a mermaid fit as well.
First, let’s go over the fabric. It’s a stretchy kind. It looks breathable, and it carries fancy African prints on it.

Secondly, the upper part of the dress has a lot of drama going on. I can see that it is nicely sewn to fit the body. It has a perfect structure that moulds the shape of the wearer into an hourglass figure.

The sleeves are drop sleeves. And a little string is attached to the upper hem of the gown, and passed across the neck to make it firm.
Thirdly, the peplums are simple, and they look easy on the eye. From the waist, the fitting looks firm on the hips, and a little narrowed from the thighs down to the ankle, giving it a mermaid finish.

Recommendation
As much as I fancy the fabric used in this dress. I also think that it could cause a challenge during humid seasons. Fabrics such as this have a very low absorption rate. If a client chooses to go with such a design on a hot day, the chances of their discomfort are very high. A fabric that doesn’t soak in heat texture leaves the body sticky. And nobody likes this.

While this fabric will thrive in cooler and calmer seasons, the designers should also consider re-creating this dress with a weather-friendly fabric.
All I see here are brides.
With the fitting of a princess and the details of a sophisticated woman, the third look represents the delicate and warm features of a peach dress.

Both dresses are styled differently, but it is visibly the same fabric. The designer had one goal while creating this look. And that is to make her women feel like princesses and brides.

The first dress is a bit fitted compared to the second dress, which is more breathable. They both have unique features.
The first dress is embroidered with flowers made from the same fabric, and it comes in an armless style. The cuts and designs are sewn in an intentional way to capture femininity. This dress has an eloquence to it, and it is definitely bridal-worthy.

The second gown is more on the princess side. It is simple, yet creative. It comes with an embroidered flower on the right side of the chest. By the hips, a ruffle is added to the dress to give it another flowery feeling.
As stated earlier, this dress is breathable. It looks easy on the eyes, and of course, it allows movement.

Recommendation
Dresses such as this can have an added accessory just to enhance the style. In this case, a mini jacket will be a good addition to this collection. Yes, it will be based on preference, but the designers could consider introducing or trying something different for wearers who want to go the extra mile.
Also, to add a little bit of 80’s or 90’s, I highly recommend a hand glove. This addition will immediately take this design from twenty per cent to a hundred per cent. Women love accessories. Giving them an option to clearly choose from is something that should be considered.

If fire were a material, it would be this beautiful piece right here. On the fourth look of the Desiree Iyama ss26 collection is a metallic or foil fabric.

The first look is in orange colour and the second is in blue colour. They both have a shiny and reflective surface. The orange strolls in with a blouse and a long, fitted skirt, capturing the delicate features of the wearer.
The blouse is the only piece in this look that allows air flow because it’s sleeveless. Aside from the shiny fabric, the designer catches my attention with yet another detail, the sleeves.

I appreciate the use of different fabrics here. It gives the audience something new to look at, and it keeps the look interesting and catchy.
The second look, however, is a mini peplum dress. From the onset, the features are already striking. Aside from the shiny fabric, the dress is firm and rightly structured. The upper body is fitted to give a more sophisticated look, and the lower part calls for allure and elegance.
To top off its features, little blue petals made of fabric are used to embroider this dress. Making it less plain and more feminine.

The length of this dress is also a showstopper. It exposes some skin and highlights the legs perfectly. This gown is suitable for wearers who are definitely not afraid to show off some skin.

Recommendation
The only challenge in this fit is that it is hardly weather-friendly because of its kind of fabric. This limits a wearer to certain events and certain climates.
I recommend that the designer also have this set-in batches. She should recreate these designs in different fabrics that are climate-friendly, so it’s easy for clients to make their choice.
The fifth look in this collection already makes a statement on the runway. With the colour already capturing the attention of the audience, the yellow dress plays around with a lot of details at the lower part of each design.
The first outfit is a mini gown with an average flay. It is sleeveless, and the upper body is well-fitted compared to the lower part. The feathers at the hem of this gown are what cause a stare.

It transitions the gown from a basic ordinary to classy and chic.
The second outfit plays the same drama at the lower part of the dress. This look, unlike the first one, is definitely for women who choose modesty and like their skin properly covered. It is graceful, feminine and captivating.

The details at the lower part, however, are the main focus. Here, the design chooses three special designs to round up this dress.
First are the hoops. The second layer is flattened cuts, and the last layer is a mini peplum.

I love how easy it is to walk in this dress. It’s hardly stiff, and it surely embraces graceful movement.
Recommendation
For the first gown, the designers might want to loosen the chest area a bit to make it breathable. Right now, it looks too restrained and forced.

And for the second gown, the extra layers at the bottom are creative, but it could also be toned down a bit to accommodate any kind of event.

With more than five outfits down the runway, Desiree Iyama clearly proves that the style is deeply inspired and culturally rooted in contemporary fashion. Each of the pieces offers a dynamic, accessible and trend-conscious mix of high fashion and casual, everyday wear.

As part of the qualities of contemporary fashion, the pieces constantly evolve and reflect social and cultural trends. They are stylish, high-quality and accessible to a wider audience.

Industry-wise, Desiree Iyama’s fashion style is quite similar to that of fashion brands like Zimmermann and Andrea Iyamah. I say this because of how she combines feminine designs with bold and elegant details.
Also, the brand stands alongside brands such as Lisa Folawiyo and Lanre Da Silva Ajayi in the African fashion industry. These brands are the few who have helped bring modern African fashion to a global audience. No doubt, what makes Desiree Iyama different is the ability to mix romantic silhouettes with simple pieces that still portray luxury.

Overall, Desirée Iyama’s brand surely represents contemporary and artistic fashion to the core. And just like brands known for their feminine statement dressing, Desiree’s Ss26 collection has proved that it can be expressive without being too complicated.
This is why their style is such a huge buy for modern women who want to look elegant and also daring.

Of course, there are a few areas due for amendment in this collection. From some of the fittings to the over-dramatic features. But nevertheless, Desirée Iyama is still helping to shape the image of modern Nigerian fashion by creating designs that are stylish, culturally aware, and globally attractive. And I am patiently waiting for what’s next.