London-based label QASIMI is wearing its Middle Eastern heritage proudly in its latest collection which draws inspiration from the work of Sudanese artist Kamala Ibrahim Ishaq.
The brand uses her prints in conversation with their own silhouettes for a stunning selection of eye-catching pieces.
1984’s Women in Crystal Cubes acts as the starting point for the collection, the centre of everything, alongside later works like My Plant, Blues for the Martyrs and Composition.
The artist’s thoughts are mirrored by QASIMI’s earthy colour palette, rooted in the shades of the sun, sand and sky. Light blues, bright whites, dark browns and zingy yellows are grounded by hues of concrete grey, white lead and black.
Offering an artisanal blend of modernity and classicism, SS24 exercises two concepts: the first being beading and transparency, with the second centring around portraits and embroidery. New techniques like silk printing and embroidery are embraced, while the art of flou permeates juxtaposing cotton tailoring, technical wools and light-weight cotton with floaty layers of printed silk and organic poplin.
Building on the foundation blocks of QASIMI’s ‘Permanent’ collection, this offering fuses raw-edged sweatshirts and denim blazers with organza coats and printed silks. The rich oils of 2016’s Composition become portrait prints across fleece and jersey, with Kamala’s cubes transformed into physical manifestations of transparency and sculpture.