It’s always a blessing when Naomi Campbell shows up during fashion week because she has arguably one of the best walks in the business. The supermodel made a welcomed appearance in the city of lights, closing out designer Kenneth Ize’s show at Paris Fashion Week.
Already named to the prestigious BOF 500, the Nigerian designer has created a lane of his own; his recent fashion show was the icing on the cake for an already booming career. Ize sent models down the runway in traditional African prints, fusing his heritage with modern design. Traditional business suits incorporate the bold traditional textiles reworked in a way that is accessible for everyone.
Ize’s Paris debut is part of a growing shift we’re seeing, with seeing more designers leaving the New York Fashion Week calender and choosing to head oversees to debut their collections. Brooklyn brand Telfar showcased in Milan during the menswear shows, for example and while Off-White founder Virgil Abloh revealed his latest collection in Paris. Despite the shift in location, however, its always a pleasure to more Black designers added to the fashion week calendar. Ize’s Paris debut was a warm and authentic homage to his homeland.
Campbell waltzing down the runway to close Ize’s epic showcase proves that he is the designer to watch.