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What is more preferred than a brand that conforms to a specific fashion standard? The answer shouldn’t take too much thought. The obvious answer is a brand that can find a perfect balance amongst various fashion standards and still produce beautiful and quality designs. SNDR Mode is one such brand. Founded in 2019 by Sandra Ugochi Igwe, this brand has stayed true to this. They are committed to ensuring that they satisfy their clients with wonderful pieces that last long, feel comfortable and are still the focus at any event they are worn to.
With about half a decade of being in the fashion industry, they have carved out a recognisable niche and stand as a voice in the wider industry. We will be looking at their 2024 collection.
From the first outfit in this collection, we are treated to the ingenious, unique design style of SNDR Mode. The top is a cobalt blue loose bodice with a simple crew cut neckline. The feature that really captivates in this outfit is the oversized features and the long, wide sleeves that extend into a bell shape. The front part of the top is also cut a little bit above the waist. These features give the blouse a relaxed and somewhat androgenous feel. If you look closely, you will realise that both the fabric choice and the tailoring from the shoulders are intentionally chosen to favour comfort and fluid movement without sacrificing style and elegance. The bodice also features a patterned design in a darker shade all over it.
Moving on to the bottom of the outfit, we have a wide-leg pair of trousers with the same colour as the top. The trousers have a high waistline, which works very well with the crop top feature because it allows the top to balance well, without cutting the body at awkward angles. The wide-legged trouser flows from the waist down to the floor, and the dark geometric print in the top also features, which is an amazing continuity detail.
When viewed from the back, the outfit remains loose-fitting. At the back, the bodice generously flows outward from pleats that start mid-back and adds a cape-like drape to it. This feature adds a certain regal silhouette to the outfit. However, it stands the risk of making the outfit seem too bulky for some persons of a smaller body frame. Not much can be seen or said about the trousers from the back view; the drape of the top falls to just above the back of the knee.
It is another great outfit from the collection. I would suggest, though, that the neckline be adjusted a bit, perhaps with a boat neck or something more defined. A belt should also be added to this piece to give room for adjustable styling, especially for those with a smaller frame. Finally, while the brand is focused on comfort and fluid movement for each of their outfits, a little bit of definition should be added to this outfit to make it enhance the wearer’s figure without sacrificing their brand style. A little bit of subtle pleating and darting here and there should do the trick. Nevertheless, even with these few suggestions, it was a rather interesting piece.
The next outfit in this collection is a regal purple midi two-piece. The first thing that catches your eye from a first look is the choice of colour, regal purple. Now, if that is not an emphatic statement already from a first look, I don’t know what else is. The colour purple is usually associated with royalty, power or luxury. Either way, it doesn’t beg for attention; it commands it. It could even make a shy person “speak” without saying a word. And this just goes in line with the fashion mission of SNDR Mode: making women feel seen and confident. It is simply brilliant. And I don’t mean just the colour.
Now, giving the piece a second look, you can see that the blouse is made from regal purple satin fabric. As for the neckline, an asymmetrical V neckline was used. It is a V-shaped neckline where the depth, curve or style of one side is different from the other. In the case of this outfit, the neckline dips towards the left side. From that neckline, we are treated to an asymmetrical button arrangement that skews towards the right and gives an aesthetically pleasing design while balancing the neckline style. You can observe that the sleeve style used in this piece is also another expressive feature. It seems to be a type of bishop sleeve, and if you look closely, you will notice that, unlike regular bishop sleeves, this one does not have too much bulk material before the gathered cuffs at the wrist. At the waist, the blouse flares from the button arrangement into a peplum-like shape.
For the skirt, we have a regal purple tulle midi skirt. Both the blouse and the skirt have the same shade of purple, which makes the outfit have a cute feel. However, having a bit of a colour contrast would make the outfit have a more mature look. The material is layered over each other to give it more volume. The skirt is a high waist, complementing the split in the middle of the blouse that starts at the button arrangement. At the back of the dress, the peplum flare falls perfectly over the skirt and creates an hourglass outline. The back also shows the neatness of the tailoring; every seam of the outfit is in place.
Overall, this piece is a wonderful design that can be worn to different events, from formal dinners to casual parties. Of course, a few changes could enhance its beauty further. The skirt length, while elegant in its midi form, could be shortened to a mini, making it fit in with contemporary modern styles. The sleeves should also be improved. Right now, it is slightly overwhelming in size. By tapering it towards the wrist, instead of at the wrist, it would allow it to remain big but form-fitting.
One look at the final outfit of this collection and you can tell that this look is a striking mix of complex, tailored precision and elegant fluidity. The first highlight of the fit is the somewhat exaggerated bishop sleeves. Their volume is a very sharp contrast to the structured tailoring of the collars and the skirt. Monochromatic colours are used for this outfit, a light blue base with thin, darker stripes for contrast. The fabrics used seem to be the same cotton blend used in the first and second pieces.
This piece features a high-collared shirt base and a cropped jacket overlay, with shiny buttons and bishop sleeves. The shiny buttons used on the outfit exude a bright sheen that brings a military vibe to the fit to balance the comedic style of the sleeves. The back of the top is plain, the only difference being the absence of the darker stripes, but that is a good decision. Doing too much there would have messed up the essence of the design.
For the bottom of the outfit, the high waist skirt flows down to just below the knee. It is a good choice, because the midi length makes the legs look longer. However, the stand-out feature of the skirt is the uneven tiered layers, with each layer having a different stripe pattern. It adds to the beautiful, intricate nature of this piece’s tailoring and contrasts nicely with the style of the top. Though a slight slit would have made the skirt more complete and more in line with the fluid movement theme of this collection.
This is, in my own opinion, the highlight piece of this collection. An A-grade in almost every part, all that is needed to complete it, is a better blending of the colours of the bodice and the skirt, especially at the back of the piece. Right now, the plain colour of the back of the bodice does not flow well with the back of the skirt. Also, consideration should be given to the fabric style; a lighter material would help the outfit look less stiff. Other than these, I would give the outfit a ten out of ten.
In conclusion, SNDR Mode has really outdone itself with this brilliant collection. While it was not perfect, it really shows the level of commitment and detail that they have put into staying through to their brand style. All the outfits strictly conform to their specific design code without fail. That alone points to a brand that is going places, and we are here for it.
By Seun Emmanuel
