On September 16th, Theophilio, a contemporary clothing brand by Edvin Thompson presented its SS21 collection “Migration”. Thompson, who was born in Jamaica, fuses nostalgia from his childhood in Jamaica with the progressive culture of New York where the brand is based.
The digital presentation takes you on a ride down Dawkins Drive in Portmore, St. Catherine, Jamaica as the collection flashes continuously. According to Thompson, the background video is from footage of his 2019 trip to Jamaica for the funerals of his grandmother and great grandmother. The clash of his Jamaican roots and New York experience shine through in many of the pieces in which he uses the flag colors, fringe and mesh tank dresses, leather pants, pleated dress, colored blocked blazers, and various prints like leopard and paisley.
In addition to his runway presentation, Thompson showed a musical Jamaican drama that served as an ode to rockers, featuring a few of the looks brought the perfect drama, showcasing a yellow button-down with extended sleeves past the models knees paired with a yellow and green pant.
One look featured a black crushed velvet pant with an electric green inseam and was topped off with a snake wrapped around the model’s neck. Another show-stopping look incorporated red was a fiery red fur, textured red pants, and matching spray paint across the eyes.
The hair in the show styled by Susan Oludele and Sean Bennett was also a head-turner. The hairstyles ranged from white and electric green pixie cuts, turquoise asymmetrical blunt cuts and finger waves, to locs, beaded braids, and towering 90’s pin curl updos — coinciding with Thompson’s combination of his Caribbean roots and American footing.
Upcycling clothing has been essential to Thomspon, as has been establishing representation and participation from innumerous cultured identities. And he remains committed to those missions all while curating a collection that amplifies the voices and promotes the visibility of men and women who look like him.
Thompson is set to release a fashion film corresponding with the collection title on September 30, 2020.
PRODUCTION MANAGER: BRANDON THOMPSON, KYLA GRAHAM
VIDEO: DELWIN KAMARA
PHOTOGRAPHY: CHRISTIAN CODY
HAIR: SEAN BENNETT, SUSY OLUDELE
GLAM: JASMINE WILLIAMS, MIMI QUIQUINE, TA MING CHEN, MORGAN MATOUS, NATHALIE NGARDINGABE
STYLIST: BARRINGTON SMITH, DOQUAN HINES
STYLING ASSISTANT: THANJA JAYGBAY, SHANESE POWE, SAKINAH BASHIR
SET DESIGN: CHRISTIAN CODY, CHANDLER ARUB, DELWIN KAMARA
GRAPHIC DESIGN: JESSICA TROMBATORE
