Nollywood knights at #NYFWM: Lucio Castro finds inspiration in Nigerian film industry
The penultimate brand to show at New York Fashion Week: Men’s was Lucio Castro, the 4-year-old label that Alan Cumming (who attended Thursday’s presentation) wore on the red carpet at the most recent Tony Awards.
The designer told us his spring and summer collection, titled Nollywood, had been inspired by Nigeria’s film industry and its DIY blend of high-low elements.
“It started with a movie I saw when I was in Shanghai called ‘The Figurine,’” Castro said, “All these movies are shot on [handheld] digital cameras and combine elements like tribal block prints and polyester track pants.”
The result was a tribal take on athleisure, boldly patterned suits with short pants, green and white color-blocked mesh tank tops or bold geometric patterned sweaters paired with generously cut trousers and varsity jacket silhouettes that paired two different patterns (one on the body and another on the arms) in a way that shouldn’t have worked but somehow did.
Castro’s presentation, hammocked between the final two runway shows of the week - and in the same venue - is the perfect example of how organizer CFDA was able to give smaller and emerging menswear brands much needed exposure. All the more appropriate in this case as Castro is currently part of the CFDA’s Fashion Incubator program.
