Filed under: Interviews, Designers
Imagine a shirt you can wear three different ways. Now imagine your boyfriend wearing that same shirt. This is the innovative concept behind designer Tunji Dada's new line. Each piece in the collection can be worn by a man or a woman, something Dada likes to call neo-sex. "The lines are blurred, you have women wearing their boyfriend's blazers, it just makes sense," Dada tells Black Voices.
Dada's collection is as much about sustainability, as it is about versatility. The eco-conscious designer uses recycled materials to create his stunning handmade clothing. He says his fashion forward design aesthetic was inspired by a three year break he took from the fashion industry. During that hiatus he decided he wanted to make clothes that put both the environment and creativity before commercial interests.
Tunji Dada's much anticipated return to fashion was kicked off during this year's New York Fashion Week. His collection is a harmonious marriage of comfort and style, each piece conveying a feel of ease; a task the designer says was far from easy. "See these pants, they are made of rubber processed to look and feel like cotton." Even the simplest shirt in the line, goes through a heavy duty process of washing and dying before it can be re-purposed and ready for buyers.
With such a unique product, you'd think the last thing this seasoned designer would worry about is competition. "It's a struggle, everyday is a struggle to survive, with the new mass production model created by China, it's impossible to keep up," says Dada. Which is why he restructured his business to focus on custom orders and collaborations with other designers. "You have much more power in numbers than you do alone."
Despite his growing popularity, Dada remains humble about his international fame saying, "I'm always looking toward the future, I just want to keep creating." With his Soho boutique under renovation, Dada is gearing up for a grand reopening as he embarks on a new beginning in his career, and a chance to transform the fashion industry.