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Every fashion show comes and goes, but there are very few that come and stay. These do not just stay, but they redefine the narrative.
At the 14th edition of the Lagos Fashion Week (LFW), many brands came and have gone, but here is one brand that came but have stayed because of the exceptional innovation it has brought to the fashion industry.
Rendoll is a brand deeply rooted in contemporary womenswear. It is highly recognised for its unique design centred on African feminism, and its constant acknowledgement of the African woman’s confidence, beauty and elegance through well-curated designs that tell deep African stories and proclaim her heritage.
Through its newest release of the brand ‘A New Dawn SS24,’ Rendoll has been able to reinforce what it represents and stands for.
However, after all has been said about Rendoll, is its recent collection a blast or a bust?
The first outfit from Randoll to light up the LFW ’24 runway was the contemporary womenswear labelled ‘Rendoll Abba,’ an olive-green backless dress.
It is a full-length dress stretching from the chest area, also known as the upper bodice, to the bottom edge of the gown hem/ankle line. This elegant piece embodies what Randoll has come to represent: bold and modern feminine design, and this was achieved greatly with the addition of an elongated strip of gathered fabric firmly attached across the gown, one end to the right side of the gown, just below the chest region, and the other end to the left side ankle line of the gown. This style is commonly known as ‘Ruffling detailing,’ and to a degree, it shows how Rendoll combines both modern and traditional fashion to produce contemporary designs. Tiny straps were used in place of the normal sleeves, which will hold the dress firmly against the body.
The choice of fabric was quite exceptional; it could be easily confused with the popular Plissé fabric, but on a closer look, the fabric is an African silk crinkled crepe, which gave the gown a non-stretch, structured yet fluid look.
However, as elegant as the ‘Rendoll Abba Backless Maxi Dress’ may have been, it lacks some features that could have made it a perfect gown, for instance, the back.
The gown is a backless gown, which means the design can’t accommodate a complementary jacket because adding extra clothing would distort the overall shape of the gown. Instead, a small fabric can be sewn in the form of a corset, lace-up. Also, the construction of the gown may not be suitable for all body types, especially regarding length.
The ‘Rendoll Abba Backless Maxi Dress’ is a good choice of outfit for any formal event, such as a Gala night, official dinner, or engagement party.
Here is another standout outfit among the Rendoll SS’ 24 collection. This reflected the contemporary fashion, starting from the bold colour pattern, to the shape, structure and tailoring design.
It is a piece that combines a skirt named ‘Abba skirt’ and a long-sleeve blouse named ‘Wild Bloom Mesh.’
The skirt is not a complete garment since it only covers from the waist region to the ankle line, and is styled with a patterned sleeved blouse. The fabric choice is a royal blue plain stretchy crinkled crepe.
Attached to the waistline is an elongated fabric pleat. It began from the left side of the skirt waistline, then got twisted midway around the corner of the skirt, and then continued down to the hem of the skirt to give a perfect design called ‘Ruffling detailing.’
This particular piece is an epitome of elegance and reinforces the vision of the brand, bridging the gap between the traditional and modern. So instead of the Iro and Bubu, also known as Aso Ebi, accompanied by the Gele (headgear), traditionally expected of any African woman to wear for the Owambe party or the ready-to-wear modernly demanded of a woman, the Abba skirt can blend in both settings because it combines both traditional and modern fashion styles.
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Although maximalism is allowed in fashion, both pieces were too loud and bright. Also, the scale of the pleated detail visually adds weight to the silhouette and risks overwhelming the skirt’s clean lines. In place of that, a lighter fabric should be used.
With the necessary adjustment, the Abba skirt can be a good choice of outfit for an ownabe party, weekend brunch or daytime beach party.
The first set of monochromatic pieces was displayed from the Rendoll SS’ 24 collection. It is a two-piece outfit comprising an olive green shirt and lime green pants.
For the shirt, it is an oversized cotton button-up shirt with a wide collar sitting well. The choice of button at the front of the shirt made the outfit quite remarkable; the button complemented the colour of the shirt perfectly, ensuring that the monochromatic nature of the outfit was not contrasting. It could even easily pass for a corporate outfit because of the long sleeves with wide and well-designed cuffs.
The pant is specifically cargo pants with two patch-like pockets attached to each side of the cargo. It is wide-legged, allowing for easy movement, and the hemline of the pants lies loosely below the ankle line, indicating the long length of the pants.
Comparing this to the print and pattern of other brands like Banke Kuku or Lisa Folawiyo, this is actually a more leading contemporary piece because of its cultural relevance, owning up to the simplicity of the dress in terms of colours, fabric pattern and design. This is a perfect ready-to-wear that goes along with anything, unlike some other brands where the heaviness of the heavy prints and patterns has to be considered greatly.
While most of the feature of this outfit works well, there is a need for adjustment, especially in the area of length and size. The hemline of the pants should be reduced to stay on the ankle line, not below or above, because if it’s below, it might not be suitable for some body types.
This is a very special outfit from the collection. Rendoll called it the ‘Lava Print Dress.’ The name is undeniable as the prevailing colour reminds one of a volcanic eruption in the Isles of Scilly. It is a maxi dress that hugs the body closely, and that is mainly as a result of the fabric choice. The fabric is a light, feathered stretch nylon mesh fabric. It is actually a very good choice as it is a wrinkle-resistant material.
Among the features of the Lava Print Dress, the most outstanding feature would be the print, the vibrant print blended orange, blue, and black. Each of the colours complemented the others, ensuring none conflicted with the others.
Another distinctive feature would be the sleeve, in contrast to the usual sleeves that come with a maxi dress, this Lava print dress chooses the unconventional short sleeve. Most times, maxi dresses are accompanied by either a long sleeve or a tiny strap called ‘spaghetti strap.’
These distinctive features are what set this piece apart from others, like Farai London or Miaou, these brands are either standalone brands representing either a pure traditional outfit or a pure modern outfit. However, for this piece, it represented both seamlessly,
The dramatic nature of this piece makes it a best fit for beachwear, vacation, or resort wear, and an easy, comfy wear if one decides to travel light.
Despite the beauty of this dress, there are still things to look out for, like the dark patch sitting midway and below on the gown, which makes it unappealing from a distance. If it can be well blended into the beautiful and exciting colours, it will make a huge difference.
The ‘Rendoll Abba Mini Dress’ is a special edition for Sisi, who is a young lady. It lies many inches above the knees, which gives the wearer a chic look. The oversized, well-rounded sleeves make the dress more elegant. The overall dress is very appealing in its choice of colour, turquoise, giving a sea-like theme. Also, the neckline is a perfect complement to the short, oversized sleeve dress.
This piece sits on the throne of quiet luxury, a common piece worn among the African elite with exceptional but silent taste, quality, and status. In other words, it is a classy piece and is now a popular wear among ladies of African descent.
For all the pieces in the Rendoll collection, this design is a bit flawed because the sleeves are not layered enough to form a balanced structure with the body of the dress.
Instead, the sleeves appear to be deformed as a result of the heavyweight fabric used.
In conclusion, this entire collection no doubt has been exciting from the fabric choice, patterns, colours, its cultural relevance and its industry relevance. The beautiful blend of Africa and modern fashion, however, while it is almost a shade of amazing, there is still huge room for adjustment, like the silhouette, the visual balance and the designs.
By Seun Emmanuel
