LONDON, United Kingdom - A dreamscape of men flourished in Creative Director Adebayo Oke-Lawal’s garden, but it wasn’t all fantasy at Orange Culture’s Autumn / Winter 2017 presentation hosted by Fashion Scout during London Fashion Week. Hanging pendants on gold chain and tightly coiled necklaces designed in partnership with Kenyan jeweler Adele Dejak lent to the fluidity in dressing Bayo is well known for in his menswear collections. A tunic-style shirt with triangular cutout at the chest was classic yet modern while another tunic look played on the buba and pele style more commonly worn by women in a burnt orange and forest green set. Oversized dark floral graphics on knitwear sat in contrast to the delicate petals framing the eyes and lips of the male models.

It is almost antithetical to place Oke-Lawal’s work in a box that seeks no such labels and whose brand arguably does not identify as a fashion label. Yet, every philosophy, even one driven by anti-traditionalist youth culture, needs a visual representation of its values. His collection toed the line with enough pieces grounded in the present and others offering a taste of the future. Silk velvet overcoats in jewel tones - emerald and violet - gave nighttime dressing ample options while a pared down onyx blouse and ruffled pant provided optimal daywear. Neon puffers in lime green and red were wearable yet singular with strategically placed cutouts that fed into pockets - a blend of the familiar and the novel.

Another partnership in this collection was with This Is Us NG. Their collaboration on a black collared shirt that read Stay True was doubly insightful, for the shirt was constructed using Nigerian Funtua cotton found in the northwest state of Katsina and manufactured by a creative producer dedicated to promoting indigenous textiles and talent. Oke-Lawal has set his path on a movement to celebrate the 'no-label' nuances in today’s man. No question he stayed true to his ideals.

Photos courtesy of British Vogue