SURPASSING AESTHETICS: A REVIEW ON THE GLAMZ COLLECTION

Tosin Clegg

One fascinating feature of every human is the brain. The brain of every human has the ability to create impossibilities at a spot. This is because our anatomy defines us as thought-based beings.

According to Fact-slide, the brain has about 70,000 thoughts a day and doesn’t stop developing until the age of 40.
Isn’t that amazing?
It is no wonder every day new ideas outshine the old innovations. A good case study is Clothing.

Several thousands of years ago, clothes were created only for covering and modesty. Forward to the 14th century, according to Wikipedia man began a groundbreaking history with clothing experimentations. James Laver, a costume designer noted that the century marked the emergence of fashionable attires.

From then on, clothing fashion became one of the solid pillars of nations around the world. It created a growth room for creative minds who wished to prove themselves through apparel design. Indeed, in the years that followed after the 14th century, brand names like Chanel, Gucci, Orange Culture, Atafo, Kente and so many others have been able to make a name for themselves because they didn’t fail to harness just how far the creativity of their mind could go.

Talk about harnessing!
Many more brands have been able to throw in their impactful hit on the fashion industry. One of which is the Mater Dei brand.

Mater Dei is more than just a fashion label. It is a revolutionary movement aiming to redefine the future of luxury fashion. By championing inclusivity and empowerment, they strive to create a world where high fashion is not only a symbol of elegance but also of universal accessibility and acceptance. The vision of the brand is to forge a path toward a future where every woman feels celebrated and empowered through the transformative power of fashion. This intriguing brand was founded by designer Mariam Ipogha.
Ever since its inception, the brand has a variety of revolutionary attire in sync with its mission which is to make luxury an experience all women can enjoy, offering a diverse range of sizes to accommodate varied needs and preferences and also skilfully merges African heritage with contemporary design, honouring both individual uniqueness and the collective spirit of femininity.

However, the Mater Dei only became a reality because of the brains behind the scene.
Mariam Ipogha’s passion for fashion stems from a deep-rooted appreciation of Nigerian culture, which she combines with a global perspective gained from years of exploring fashion capitals around the world. Her unique designs are not just garments; they are expressions of art and identity, drawing inspiration from the rich tapestry of African textiles and the sleek aesthetics of contemporary couture.

By weaving together elements of modern fashion with the vibrancy of African art and traditions, she creates collections that transcend traditional clothing. Each of her designs are dimensional art piece aimed at engaging the senses and showcasing a hands-on approach to traditional techniques of embellishment.

This brilliant designer has produced several collections of ethereal wear in the few years of the brand’s existence. Some of her designs are the 2021, 2022, and 2023 collections, among others. For this article, we will be looking into the 2022 collection.

The 2022 Glamz collection consists of three beautiful pieces, we call it the Power Trio. Two of them are one-piece dresses, and the last one is a two-piece attire.

The first dress in the Mater Dei’s 2022 Glamz collection is this beautiful attire. The mini gown is a one-piece garb made out of quality Ankara fabric. The designs made on the dress include a v-neckline, bell sleeves, a keyhole, a bell skirt, a band and a zipper.

This beautiful piece upon closer examination has a plunging v-neckline that accelerates your femineity, tracing down to the delicately placed short bell sleeves that create more than enough room for ease as you make hand movements in the dress. The burst area of the dress holds a simple but intricate design of a small gathered stich which gives a hinting effect of ruched.

One of the outstanding features of this dress is located in the mid-waist region and this is the keyhole design. The triangular keyhole feature stands as one of the many distinctive patterns created in this dress, it provides ease and gives off a sense of confidence because of its originality.

The bottom part of the gown has a small band sitting on the mid waist and pours out into a flared bell skirt ending mid-thigh. The flared pattern of the dress was only achieved through a unique curve cut. Lastly, it also has a zipper at the back running from the neckline to mid-waist.
The attire is a brilliant unveiling for the collection. However, the designer could consider creating customized versions of the dress because of variations in taste. The reduction of the plunging neckline and addition to the length of the dress would work better for some individuals who do not fancy showing off skin.

The gown can be worn for all types of occasions depending on the accessories you complement it with. For a formal outing, the styling in the image works but if it’s not your look, then braiding or even your natural hair can act as a good substitute, a classy handbag, and more jewellery like a necklace or bracelet can be added. Heels or plumps are two options of footwear popularly used for official occasions.

On the other hand, for semi-official and casual outings, nothing much needs to change except optional switching to a cross bag, having on lesser jewellery and swapping your feet for sandals, sneakers, boots, or sandal heels.

Like the first design of the collection, this design is a Venust mini one-piece gown made from a combination of quality Ankara fabric and a type of dye fabric popularly called Adire. The key attributes of this dress are the canoe neckline, puffed sleeves, ruffles, and elastic holdings.

As seen in the image, the second attire is a straight dress made with the majority of Ankara fabric and a touch of Adire. It has a wide and slightly plunged neckline popularly known as the V-canoe neckline, the feature was crafted to show off femineity and give you an alluring look, the sleeves are given a puffed outline held securely by an elastic holding, which allows the dress seat firmly when worn.

The highlight of this dress is the straight ruffle pattern running from the sides of the front to the back. This design was made with the Adire fabric and gathered stitches. Lastly, a zipper for allowance is placed at the back of the dress.

The dress is a classic apparel but as a suggestion, the designer could reduce the ruffle patterns, moving them to seat only at the side of the dress from the waistline to midthigh. Plus, for preference, additional length could be given to the attire.
Overall, the dress is a unique design crafted for simplicity and elegance. The simplicity feature allows it to be an all-occasion kind of dress. So, if you are going for any type of event, this attire has got your back!

A similar styling option as given for the first dress can also be used for this gown. However, options like a headgear, chain or leather belt and skin tone pop socks or net socks can be added to your styling depending on the outing.

Mater Dei did a number with the third wear in the collection.
Different from the others in its collection, the design is a two-piece attire crafted out of two different premium Ankara fabrics. The top part of the apparel is a long sleeve shirt and on the lower parties a loose straight trouser.

The top is a high-collar button-down style made with a mixture of two Ankara fabrics. The blue Ankara fabric is used and complemented with the slightly darker shade of Ankara fabric placed right above the bust line. the selling point of this shirt is the idea of recreating the professional t-shirt with African prints.

The bottom part of the wear is an ankle-length simple loose trouser with side seam pockets and a zipper. The looseness and zipper of the pants allow for ease and easy movement. The style of the piece is very simple but sophisticated. It creates the ‘smart but cool impression.’

What’s even more great about the attire is that its dual feature gives you the privilege of styling in more ways than one. When separated, each piece could be coupled with different fashion items like shorts, suspenders, jeans and many others. Light makeup just like the one done in the image can accompany the look and for footwear; heels, sneakers, plumps, and sandals could serve as fit to complete the look you are aiming for depending on the look you are going for or the occasion you are attending.

Through this Trio, Mariam Ipogha has not only proven herself but also shown that fashion is not limited to just aesthetics; she has the ability to bring in fresher and newer ideas that impact the world and lead to brighter days.