Namilia’s SS19 collection Crusade of the Pussycats was a bold and over the top show. The brand’s tagline is “Join the Revolution” and their displays are always as much about their message as the clothing. The show explored the lines between the holy and the profane. Attendees received a pamphlet with a “prayer” for divine femininity and acceptance of female sexuality.
The runway was bathed in red light and a mixture of liturgical and explicit secular music pulsed through the venue. The show got off to a high-energy start when Paris Hilton hit the runway wearing red quilted angel wings and low-slung patent leather chaps. The colour scheme of red, black and white referenced the traditional ideas of heaven and hell, good and evil.
As always, Namilia tackled the theme of sexuality in their runway show. Many of the styles appeared repeatedly, reworked into different outfits. Bralettes with sparkly phallic images appeared alongside clothing inspired by religious vestments, some of which had messages written on them. The most commercially viable items were the baggy skater-style pants and crop tops which were edgy but wearable and likely quite appealing to their core clients.
While most of the clothing on show wasn’t really wearable, at the end of the day that that clearly isn’t the only goal for Namilia. This is a brand that has a lot to say and they were able to get their views across.
Maggie Gillette
Photos: Dominique Pettway
For more information about Namilia visit their website here.
