I walked into a room with a sunken red couch. Greeted with a glass of champagne and a mini lobster roll, I was directed toward a floor-to-ceiling window illuminating the presentation area. I was confused, I had never seen a setting like this one before. But it was still intriguing to hear the conversations of similar doubt all around me. It was a familiar buzz of 10 AM excitement. The last day of fashion week and eager whispers echoed around me. Comments ranging from “Who is Chuks Collins?” to “You’re going to love this show.” We did not have to wait long before the first model gracefully walked across the room.
An abrupt silence ensued as everyone stared in awe. A trail of reds, yellows and blues followed, alongside most hues in between. The Chuks Collins brand left no room for anything other than overt individuality. The colours and silhouettes being an ode to endless possibilities for expression. Weirdly enough, time flew by through the whole presentation. But each outfit had a frozen moment of youth.
I spoke to the designer about this collection:
How are you feeling today?
I am very excited about and grateful for this show. Although I have shown at New York Fashion Week before, this is my second show and concept with IMG.
Tell me more about the collection. What was the thought process behind having all these primary colours and clashing silhouettes put together?
I was thinking about the words “rebirth” and “resurrection”. These are things that happen every day to everything that’s living. The main focus that it came down to was the process of metamorphosis that butterflies go through from the cocoon. They end up having these beautiful primary colours and when combined, they lead to an infinite amount of possibilities. The collection also has a Nigerian influence on the silhouettes.
Your models are so diverse! Not only in size but also skin conditions, facial features and body modifications. We don’t usually get to see that at a place like New York fashion week. What is your hope for the future and what example do you want to set?
I design for humanity. I want to be able to design for everyone and allow them to explore anything they want about themselves. I want people to see that in my shows and collections also. I hope we can move forward like this.
Can you tell me more about the accessories?
I designed most of the accessories and had a team put them together for this collection!
What’s next for the Chuks Collins brand and where can people find you?
I have a lot happening behind the scenes and am currently working on many exciting productions and collaborations. So watch out for that! You can find me on my website or Instagram @iamchukscollins
We will Chuks!
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