Review Of Maki Oh September 2019 NYFW Collection

#NYFWNOIR: Maki Oh Continues To Define Afromodernism To The West

Source: Danielle James / Hello Beautiful

On Monday evening in Union Square, Maki Oh founder and designer, Amaka Osakwe presented her collection to a crowd full of editors, fans, and supporters. The show was a pan-African experience with guests represented from all over the world. I had the pleasure of going backstage before the show and it was a very hectic, sometimes tense, yet overall organized feel. The presentation itself was a beautiful illustration of Afromodern fashion.

Maki Oh - Runway - September 2019 - New York Fashion Week: The Shows

Source: Yuchen Liao / Getty

The Lagos born designer continues to show that African designs are more than Dutch wax and animal print. The models varied in height, sizes, and age, illustrating that the clothes are created for a wide range of women (and men). who want thoughtful style. I loved the gender fluidity that wasn’t purposefully called out, but rather, just represented naturally.

Source: Yuchen Liao / Getty

I swooned over the pearl embellishments decorating a khaki colored blazer as well as on the hem of a black dress to update your LBD style.

Source: Yuchen Liao / Getty

Maki uses traditional West African techniques with modern silhouettes to create a head turning collection.

Source: Danielle James / Hello Beautiful

It’s been awhile since I’ve been to a show where every model loved their hair. Maki Oh utilized fabrics from her latest collection to intertwine them into one long braided ponytail for a statement look. Unlike her counterpart, Christian Siriano, this was truly a way to pay tribute to the culture and Black women who started the trend.

The collection felt like a perfect fusion of West African fashion meeting European silhouettes and trends. On the cusp of the 10 year anniversary of Maki Oh, this collection was strong, relatable, and most importantly sellable. As fashion continues to evolve and consumers want more of a global feel, Maki Oh is providing prints and looks that won’t go out of fashion for years to come.

Keep clicking to check out some of our top looks from the show.