C.R.E.O.L.E. Men’s Spring 2024 Vincent Frederic Colombo Sets Out To Dismantle Preconceived Ideas Of African Fashion

Fashion label C.R.E.O.L.E. debuted its Spring Summer 2024 collection, which pays homage to Guadeloupean director Christian Laura’s 1979 movie “Coco La Fleur, Candidat.” At the conclusion of Paris Fashion Week, on June 25, the presentation took place at the Palais de Tokyo.
Coco La Fleur, Candidat, the first Antillean (French Caribbean) film in French cinema history, directed by a Guadeloupean director in Guadeloupe, served as inspiration for designer Vincent Frederic-Colombo.
In the current French overseas territories, its message is still pertinent. This movie pits technocratic elites against populist ideals, stirring up a sense of revolution during election season.

Designer Vincent Frederic-Colombo, a Guadeloupe native who was reared in Paris, said, “The whole collection is very much inspired by where I come from.”
Guadeloupe is a Caribbean archipelago that is part of France’s overseas department and region.
According to Frederic-Colombo, his clothing is intended to reflect the rich history and historical crafts-making from Africa, “and doing things in a very slow way.”
Additionally, it emphasizes the alternative African narrative. People frequently have preconceived notions about what African fashion is like.
I wish to dispel those ideas and demonstrate the diversity of African fashion.
Similarly to that, the term C.R.E.O.L.E. can stand for “Consciousness Relative to Emancipation Overcoming Obstacles.”

In an effort to decolonize his style, Frederic-Colombo said that it is inspired by not only a specific location but also by the music he listens to, the art, and the movies he likes.
By combining several universes, the designer hopes to develop a fresh look.
His designs and silhouettes draw inspiration from classic clothing, yet they propel him ahead rather than backward.

The core of C.R.E.O.L.E. is workwear, yet some tailoring and sewing methods, including lace and crochet, refer to femininity. Brown shorts with a similar trim were shown with a sheer men’s shirt with silver paillettes.
Long shorts and a blouse with wide, vertical colored stripes in greens, yellows, oranges, and reds were worn together.

A black blazer with tall, broad mock lapels and matching loose pants were two of the more fashionable items. Another was an olive-colored blazer with a longer, more conventional style.
The 1979 French movie “Coco-La-Fleur, Candidat,” about a Guadeloupian man who becomes involved in an electoral scam concocted by Parisian officials, was an inspiration for the spring collection.

Content courtesy of WWD & NFH