By Alexis Garrett Stodghill
The Mataano Spring 2013 show during New York Fashion Week on Tuesday was brimming with positive vibes and packed to the rafters with fashionable people. Landmark on the Park, a remarkable old church, was outfitted with rows of seats and a performance space for singer Wynter Gordon to appear after the show — a perfect setting for blacks in culture and entertainment to convene.
Mataano, a line launched in 2008 by Somali twins Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim, is still in its infancy stages, but has already received high praise. Oprah gave them her seal of approval on her eponymous show the same year Mataano premiered. Since then, their releases have been lauded by outlets as varied as Vogue Italia and The New York Times.
In their sixth collection, the Mataano Spring 2013 show displayed a gentle aesthetic. “We went back to a softer, girlier path for Spring,” Idyl Mohallim told theGrio about the sisters’ inspiration. “The starting point was the beach — from the collection’s color palette, which consists of Ocean Mist, Green Coral, White Yacht, Sand and Sun –to the spare, no-frills silhouettes. We wanted the kind of easy, flowy pieces women can throw in their suitcases when traveling to the beaches of Malibu, Mombasa or St. Barts.”
With marquee models such as Sessilee Lopez and Ayan Elmi leading the pack, the runway display was certainly breezy and feminine. Lanky women dazzled in translucent, simple separates. “We showed dresses in color-blocked silk, loose fitting pants with ultra-wide legs, breezy organza tops and silk, printed dresses,” Mohallim detailed about the looks.
Celebrity guests included Project Runway alum Korto Momolu, who held her own Fashion Week presentation only days before, and model Shaun Ross, who made a splash in Katy Perry’s video for “E.T.” Other attendees such as Bravo television’s Chef Roblé came out not only to support the Mohallim twins — he also provided the festivity’s tasty treats.
“Working with Roblé and Co. to cater and produce the event really took a regular fashion show and made it an experience. With so many shows going on during New York Fashion Week, it was important that our guests not only enjoy the show, but the event as a whole,” Mohallim said of the collaboration.
People did more than just enjoy it. Whoops of applause went up as each stunning model worked the runway. Essence magazine beauty director Corynne Corbett loved the fashion as much as the party.
“What I love about Mataano is that there is a youthful punctuation to their designs,” Corbett told theGrio. “The colors were similar to what many other designers were showing, but Ayaan and Idyl add ease along with chic silhouettes. Some of the models were literally floating down the runway. But with the return to body-conscious silhouettes, the clothes hit a sensual note while still being totally wearable.”
It was wonderful to take in such a show and sip cocktails with beautiful black people — drinks made with supplies provided by sponsors such as Belvedere. As important as it was to see designers of African decent receive such large-scale corporate support, it was more thrilling to witness the black arts and culture community come together for an impressive enterprise.
The Mataano show was not merely a commercial affair; it was also a celebration of black designers creating their own space within an industry that can often be segregated and disempowering. Fashion Week shows such as this, which succeed outside of the official tents at Lincoln Center, are a beacon of black creative confidence.
“I want to think that these independent presentations represent the empowerment of black designers,” Corbett elaborated about this fact. “By showing during this week, they remind us just how great and innovative they are, and that they deserve as much consideration as other designers. They are seizing power instead of waiting for it to be bestowed upon them.
“Why should they wait anyway?” the industry insider continued. “And by so doing they bring a breath of fresh air into the fashion industry, invigorating it. They remind us about how much more talent is out there waiting to be discovered. Like Omar Salam’s Sukeina line [presented] at Harlem’s Fashion Row.
You couldn’t help but look at some of his pieces and say ‘wow’! But I feel the same way when I look at pieces from Korto Mormolu, LaQuan Smith, Sammie B. – and Mataano.”
Now preparing for international shows such as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa in Johannesburg, Mohallim and her twin sister Ayaan remain humble about their success. Born in America, but raised in Somalia until they were nine and had to flee the country due to civil war, they appreciate their early success and the devotion of the African-American artistic community, which rallies behind their brand.
“We feel very honored and blessed for all the positive support and recognition we have received to date. We could not have done it without the many sponsors and partners who help to make our shows better each year,” Mohallim said. “This year our sponsors included Iman Cosmetics and Nelson Vercher for Rita Hazan Salon, both of which helped bring our vision to life on the catwalk.”
Source: The grio
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Designers Idyl Mohallim (L) and Ayaan Mohallim (R) walk the runway at the Mataano spring 2013 presentation during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Landmark on the Park on September 11, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
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Mataano, a line launched in 2008 by Somali twins Ayaan and Idyl Mohallim, is still in its infancy stages, but has already received high praise. Oprah gave them her seal of approval on her eponymous show the same year Mataano premiered. Since then, their releases have been lauded by outlets as varied as Vogue Italia and The New York Times.
In their sixth collection, the Mataano Spring 2013 show displayed a gentle aesthetic. “We went back to a softer, girlier path for Spring,” Idyl Mohallim told theGrio about the sisters’ inspiration. “The starting point was the beach — from the collection’s color palette, which consists of Ocean Mist, Green Coral, White Yacht, Sand and Sun –to the spare, no-frills silhouettes. We wanted the kind of easy, flowy pieces women can throw in their suitcases when traveling to the beaches of Malibu, Mombasa or St. Barts.”
With marquee models such as Sessilee Lopez and Ayan Elmi leading the pack, the runway display was certainly breezy and feminine. Lanky women dazzled in translucent, simple separates. “We showed dresses in color-blocked silk, loose fitting pants with ultra-wide legs, breezy organza tops and silk, printed dresses,” Mohallim detailed about the looks.
Celebrity guests included Project Runway alum Korto Momolu, who held her own Fashion Week presentation only days before, and model Shaun Ross, who made a splash in Katy Perry’s video for “E.T.” Other attendees such as Bravo television’s Chef Roblé came out not only to support the Mohallim twins — he also provided the festivity’s tasty treats.
“Working with Roblé and Co. to cater and produce the event really took a regular fashion show and made it an experience. With so many shows going on during New York Fashion Week, it was important that our guests not only enjoy the show, but the event as a whole,” Mohallim said of the collaboration.
People did more than just enjoy it. Whoops of applause went up as each stunning model worked the runway. Essence magazine beauty director Corynne Corbett loved the fashion as much as the party.
“What I love about Mataano is that there is a youthful punctuation to their designs,” Corbett told theGrio. “The colors were similar to what many other designers were showing, but Ayaan and Idyl add ease along with chic silhouettes. Some of the models were literally floating down the runway. But with the return to body-conscious silhouettes, the clothes hit a sensual note while still being totally wearable.”
It was wonderful to take in such a show and sip cocktails with beautiful black people — drinks made with supplies provided by sponsors such as Belvedere. As important as it was to see designers of African decent receive such large-scale corporate support, it was more thrilling to witness the black arts and culture community come together for an impressive enterprise.
The Mataano show was not merely a commercial affair; it was also a celebration of black designers creating their own space within an industry that can often be segregated and disempowering. Fashion Week shows such as this, which succeed outside of the official tents at Lincoln Center, are a beacon of black creative confidence.
“I want to think that these independent presentations represent the empowerment of black designers,” Corbett elaborated about this fact. “By showing during this week, they remind us just how great and innovative they are, and that they deserve as much consideration as other designers. They are seizing power instead of waiting for it to be bestowed upon them.
“Why should they wait anyway?” the industry insider continued. “And by so doing they bring a breath of fresh air into the fashion industry, invigorating it. They remind us about how much more talent is out there waiting to be discovered. Like Omar Salam’s Sukeina line [presented] at Harlem’s Fashion Row.
You couldn’t help but look at some of his pieces and say ‘wow’! But I feel the same way when I look at pieces from Korto Mormolu, LaQuan Smith, Sammie B. – and Mataano.”
Now preparing for international shows such as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Africa in Johannesburg, Mohallim and her twin sister Ayaan remain humble about their success. Born in America, but raised in Somalia until they were nine and had to flee the country due to civil war, they appreciate their early success and the devotion of the African-American artistic community, which rallies behind their brand.
“We feel very honored and blessed for all the positive support and recognition we have received to date. We could not have done it without the many sponsors and partners who help to make our shows better each year,” Mohallim said. “This year our sponsors included Iman Cosmetics and Nelson Vercher for Rita Hazan Salon, both of which helped bring our vision to life on the catwalk.”
Source: The grio
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