Designer To Watch: Vicnate
LAGOS, Nigeria — Vicnate has quietly been on the rise and only become much buzzier since late last year. Founded by Victor Anate in 2019, the evening wear label has achieved a few major milestones, including: hosting private trunk shows at high-end retailers Zinkata and ALÁRA, dressing stars for the 2024 Emmys, and working with industry icons such as Funmi Iyanda, Naomi Campbell, Eku Edewor, and Ituen Basi.
Anate cuts his garments with a certain figure in mind — an unabashedly strong woman full of ambition, passion, and femininity. He sometimes even goes so far as to develop full-fledged back stories that can further humanize these protagonists and help consumers see themselves in the pieces.
The latest collection No. 7 contends with a “dedicated study of pre-existing shapes and style combinations proposed by older designers whose work [they] admire” according to a brand statement. It is an apt acknowledgement as many of the pieces do not appear entirely original, but rather incorporate distinctive details to enchant the eye without straying too far out of the bounds of familiarity.
The brand leads with strong silhouette as a guiding principle and immaculate tailoring as a foundation — for example in Look 4, from the front, the one-shoulder gown has a shortened hem and elongated train in the same material; but from the back, the peek-a-boo of royal blue interior lining is an unexpected element of playfulness in what could otherwise be seen as a pretty classic look.
In our view, the star of the show is Look 7 — a golden mesh crochet overdress done in partnership with knitwear brand Studio IMO. It is the combination of the formality of the tulle gown and the fluidity of the netting material that truly does reflect something fresh. While we could have done with less volume in the skirt, the unexpected material pairing could lend itself well to future pieces.
Through defined house codes reiterated by the same models and photographers with each collection, Vicnate reinforces the elevated brand image and overall desirability of the strong silhouette. Did we mention everything is bespoke? Certainly something to consider for that very special occasion.