The first designer that came to mind when we saw the new Kamsi TCharles collection, ‘The Czar and the Rabbi’ was Nigerian born menswear designer Ikire Jones. Ikire Jones has made a name for himself globally by reappropriating classic fabric motifs from Dutch based fabric manufacturer VLisco and making them through visual narratives. It would also be pretty easy to draw similarities between the designer and Italian designer Stella Jean who helped push African inspired print wax into the luxury design stratospher and made formal shirts under bright prints a thing. But Kamsi TCharles is definitely their own brand, and ‘The Czar and the Rabbi’ makes that abundantly clear.
The label’s new collection, released just in time for fashion week, sees them embrace vibrant formal menswear in a way that few labels have really dared. It is one thing to have colourful formal wear and another entirely to find a balance between aesthetic and function. And Kamsi manages that quite well with it’s superb colour management and it’s fascinating cuts. Using Actor Chris Okagbue and singer Ric Hassani doesn’t harm it’s cause as both are alternative superstars and lend their brand of quirk to the label’s look book.
Our only problem with the collection (and not that this is particularly a problem) is that sans the bright prints, the collection is fairly predictable. Menswear is bigger than tailored suits and dress pants and blazers, and Kamsi Tcharles obviously has the parts of menswear design other designers struggle with already conquered. It might be time to start exploring.
Models: Chris Okagbue @chris_okagbue, @mrluchii and Ric Hassani @richassani
Photography: Clement Ogoh @ogoh_clem
Styling: Babatunde Oyeyemi @papaoyeyemi
For more info, contact the label via 08034197866
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