Tia Adeola presented her first New York Fashion Week runway show on February 7th at Spring Studios in New York City, showcasing her Autumn/Winter 2020 ready-to-wear collection.
Teniola Tia Adeola is the founder and creative director of Tia Adeola, a brand formerly known as Slashed by Tia. Originally from Nigeria, born in New York, raised in London, and now New York City based, Teniola “Tia” Adeola is the founder and designer of her namesake label. Inspired by her background in Art History and deep interest in the Renaissance period, her aim with Tia Adeola is to make bold, wearable art for women, to reconceptualize history through the lens of fashion to include people of color in classical visual narratives they’ve often been left out of, and to pave a new future by empowering women in her community.
Tia created the first iteration of her brand – Slashed by Tia – in 2016 while still studying at The New School. Upon graduating last year in 2019, Tia transitioned the name of her brand from Slashed by Tia to Tia Adeola, debuting the new name of her brand at her first official New York Fashion Week show.
Key looks from her Autumn/Winter 2020 collection include an intricately hand-beaded two-piece, floor length dress that close the show, a sequin and feather jumpsuit made with a custom fabric from Dubai, a silk skirt featuring Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” – a nod to Tia’s Art History background and her favorite Renaissance painting – as well as her signature ruffle silhouette played across sleeves on jackets and tops, skirts, and dresses in bold, vibrant colors like red, blue, and pink. Looks were paired with head pieces in collaboration with Leila Jinnah, custom hand beaded pearl gloves and tights, as well as the newly released Nike Air Max Verona sneaker.
“Black women (and men) are often missing from retellings of Western history, very much including Art History. I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the untold stories of the Renaissance period from the point of view of people of color and historically what women have worn to obtain and project their wealth as a means of protecting their families and their own selves. That’s really the core of the Autumn/Winter 2020 collection — powerful women throughout history and how that translates into what warrior queen, or head of the family, wears today to feel powerful.” -Tia Adeola.
Tia continues to grow her brand with projects including her ongoing partnership with Nike, and her involvement in Teen Vogue’s Generation Next and 21 Under 21 program. Her brand has quickly amassed a diverse and passionate fanbase that includes women like Gigi Hadid, Lizzo, Dua Lipa, Cara Delevingne, Kali Uchis, SZA, and Lorde, as well as press support from top publications including Teen Vogue, i-D, Wonderland, Glamour, Essence, and Paper Magazine.
Sponsored by Nike and IMG
Styled by Savannah WhiteHair by Cutler
Makeup by Major Face
Nails by YNNY (Yukie Nail New York)
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