Chromat x BLACK PANTHER
#WAKANDAFOREVER!
We are so honored to have been tapped by Disney and Marvel Studios to design a custom, one-of-a-kind look inspired by Black Panther. The look debuted at the amazing "Welcome to Wakanda" event at NYFW.
Follow #ChromatBABE and special project designer Tolu Aremu from initial inspo to completed garment (plus celebrating with actual Wakandan Royalty!) below.
For the Black Panther collaboration, we took the opportunity to highlight and celebrate one of our upcoming designers, Tolu Aremu, whose designs draw from her Nigerian heritage.
We are -- and remain -- deeply committed to empowering #ChromatBABES of all shapes, races, ethnicities, ages, abilities and places on the gender spectrum through our work- both on the runway and within our design studio.
Tolu has been a part of the Chromat family since 2015, interning for our AW16 collection and assisting the Chromat TEAM and our Casting Director Gilleon Smith ever since.
Read on for Tolu's inspiration for this custom look:
"When creating this Black Panther-inspired Chromat look, the first thing that popped into my head was my muse: my Mom.
At Chromat, we design for strong, powerful, unapologetic women and empower women of all shapes, sizes, and colors.
The Black Panther film introduces strong black superheroes and cultural diversity with Africa as its backdrop.
In my eyes, my Mother is the most powerful, selfless, unapologetically strong Nigerian #ChromatBABE I’ve ever known.
From the colorful gele to the bold patterned Ankara, and down to the Chromat cage and silhouette, I wanted this look to embody her colorful and bold spirit."
“The printed fabric is called Ankara," Aremu told us of the dress she made, along with Chromat’s founder Becca McCharen-Tran.
“I got it straight from Lagos, Nigeria, from my second cousin. I called on WhatsApp, and she sent me a whole bunch for us to choose from.”
We were excited to design the custom look for plus-size model Tash Ncube at Muse, furthering our mission of empowering #ChromatBABES of all sizes through our work. The Chromat team celebrated the completed look backstage at NYFW with Black Panther stars Lupita Nyong'o and Danai Gurira.
Look who else came to party: Black Panther himself, Chadwick Boseman!
(BTW, these looks are now up for auction at CharityBuzz and proceeds go to Save the Children! Any size 14 #ChromatBABES out there?)
Thanks so much to Bollare for making this all possible!
More Press:
GO SEE BLACK PANTHER NOW!
