Bright and early last Saturday, Ahluwalia assumed Westminster's church-turned-concert hall St John’s Smith Square to exhibit its AW23 ‘Symphony’ collection as part of London Fashion Week. Famous faces filled the room, instrumental renditions of old-school hip-hop anthems set the tone, and the high-spirited looks that whipped down the runway garnered glances of approval from every industry insider in attendance. But it was the brand’s debut footwear line that left a lasting impression.
“I looked towards imagery of Nigerian musicians and uncles for inspiration and reinterpreted classic styles, like the Chelsea boot,” says brand founder Priya Ahluwalia, who has continuously paid homage to her Nigerian-Indian heritage since establishing her namesake in 2018. Such a moodboard explains the artistic choices that invigorate each of her footwear products, including the rich materials, eclectic colour palette and animal print accents.
The brand's new shoe line is designed to work with ensembles from across the smart-casual spectrum, just as demonstrated on the AW23 runway. Creepers were paired with double-breasted suits; desert Derbys were styled with socks, shorts and jackets; Chelsea boots completed tracksuit 'fits.
That's a kick for every kind of motive imaginable with not a trainer in sight. Pretty groundbreaking stuff for a five-year-old label with great access to the Gen-Z and Millennial crowds.
The Ahluwalia footwear line is scheduled to launch later this year alongside the rest of the brand’s AW23 collection. Check back soon for more information.
