What do the medieval painting “The Ship of Fools” by Hieronymus Bosch and the Titanic—and even, one could argue, Fashion Week—have in common? For the London-based designer Torishéju Dumi, each, in its own era and context, reflects chaos. Between shipwrecks and these turbulent times, she had more than enough material to drawn on.
“It’s almost like a decay of decadence; we’re all doing what we can to stay afloat. I think it would be dishonest if I just did a collection without reflecting on the world we live in right now,” the designer said backstage before a spring show that was made possible thanks to generous support from Diego Della Valle. She also received a boost from the Virgil Abloh Foundation, which supports diversity and inclusiveness in the creative industries.
On the runway, the clothes illustrated what Dumi called “a thin charade of order.” Some pieces came together just days ago—the long white shirt dress in look 5 was one example. Others looked as time-intensive as couture. Among those were a sharply-cut cropped pink jacket, ample-shouldered tailcoats, microscopic skirts held aloft by layer upon layer of petticoats and worn with bloomers, and sheer black mesh numbers stuffed with offcuts from the studio. Those were a sartorial riff on failed lifejackets, but they stood out in a season rife with puffed-up clothes. Evening looks such as a long crinkled ivory gown, a black tank and skirt ensemble veiled in white, or bold red or yellow checks, could easily have walked right off that ship and into the gilded salons of Paris. The tempest-tossed pearls were a cute touch, too.
If a sense of impending disaster inspired this show, what gave it buoyancy was a glimmer of hope. Dumi, a woman of deep faith, describes herself as a world-builder. “I have to believe that there is a better future,” she said. “Whenever you see beauty, there is always hope.”
