The Dhamani collection sees East Africa as not only the incubator of life but as the eternal witness to the evolution of man. It was inspired particularly, by the story of Hell’s Gate Gorge in Naivasha. It is said that a volcanic eruption, which killed over a hundred Maasais, sculpted the dramatic, stunning walls of the gorge. With this ethical fashion collection, we wanted to recreate the process and have intense and torturous fire bring forth something so breath-taking and wondrous, it would amplify its value, its majesty and its strength. True value comes from understanding the history and appreciating the multidimensional nature of things.
The Dhamani piece looked to the past, to an important element of East African Culture to craft the future. The beaded Maasai piece is the dramatic affirmation to the age-old creed that everything has already happened. The collar is emblematic of our ancient and rich heritage and we were interested in how that would translate in a metallic future. But in reimagining it, it was important to maintain its structural, cultural and essential integrity and show continuity from its antecedent.
The Uriithi, the Taraja and the Mila were also reinterpretations of accessories from African cultures but to complete this ethical fashion collection we needed a statement piece inspired by contemporary culture. We felt there was nothing more now, more youthful and more representative of the spirit of the times than headphones. Headphones are a signifier of the individuality, the technology and the sensoriality of today and we tried to elevate them from gadget to high art.
The Dhamani collection is both retrospective and futuristic. We hoped to express that the future of fashion lives in its past. The present is at the intersection of both which is why it’s so exciting and precious.
Shop the collection here: http://www.adeledejak.com/devnew/product-category/precious/
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