Lookbook of ASO’s Debut fashion collection; The Emergence

ASO (ah-shaw) is a timeline documentation of the neo-futuristic creative exploration by independent creative director and designer, Aanuoluwa Ajide-Daniels.

It is, in his words, “a Gen-Z rebellious way of creating a no-niche brand.” He has worked in the fashion and beauty industry for 5 years and studied designers and their different design niches. “I really didn’t want to be put in a box as a designer as there’s so much to explore and deciding on a niche would be limiting the borders of my creative exploration.! One thing was for certain though, the brand’s pieces were going to be original, and timeless. They aren’t dated to the future or past, they would stay true to design detail and in whatever niche, futuristic.

For ASO, the goal isn’t just to create a piece of clothing, the goal is to create an “experience”, and tell relatable everyday stories through pieces with a departure from the more skeptical and conventional style of post-modernism and a more idealistic approach to the future. For instance, introducing a sketch-to-design process for custom orders to extend longevity and use of pieces as well as practicing “slow fashion” to negate the effect of fast fashion on eco-fashion, all of which have positive and effective benefits in the future of fashion.

The brand had its first showcase in December 2022 to launch its first collection “THE EMERGENCE” which was an insight into telling the story of attaining structure once we emerge into our true selves. The collection also used processes used in architecture as creative input on the entire collection.

The Aso Debut fashion collection

THE EMERGENCE – THE BIRTH INTO WHO YOU WERE ALWAYS MEANT TO BE!

Identity, in its entirety, is such a big part of our lives, the sheer power of knowing who you are is the emergence into being who you are in its entirety.

THE EMERGENCE explores the difficulties of embracing one’s true identity as an average Nigerian child. “I had always known who I was, I was different, and it wasn’t the kind of difference that my father would speak proudly of when he spoke about me. I at an early age, had to accept that it was going to be difficult living as me” Ajide adds.