Bryan Nkemdiche models clothing from his co-founded clothing line Timeless Generation. (Courtesy Think Artistry)
Saturday, August 30, the Immortal Vogue Fashion Show will be held at the Powerhouse Community Arts Center.
The fashion show will be hosted by theYoknapatawpha Arts Council (YAC) and will showcase the fashion designer trio known as Timeless Generation’s debut fall fashion line.
Timeless Generation consists of three members: Ole Miss senior Laolu Sanni, sophomore Toyosi Sanni and junior Bryan Nkemdiche.
Timeless Generation produces everything from high-end fashion to casual wear, including graphic tees, tank tops, quarter sleeves and dress clothes such as blazers, tunics and blouses. All of their new, exclusive pieces will be exhibited at the fashion show Saturday.
Timeless Generation stresses that they do not “discriminate to any type of fashion,” and they “try to make everything as unique as possible.” There is no specific target audience for their clothing line: Timeless Generation is for everyone.
“We wanted to touch every single generation. From the old folks to the new kids to the teenagers. We wanted to touch every style and age,” Toyosi said.
“By saying we have a certain target market would be demeaning to our movement,” Nkemdiche added.
Timeless Generation’s main goal is to leave a mark on society.
“The name ‘Timeless Generation’ means to be timeless and to push the grain of creativity in every aspect. Not only creativity, but art. Anything has potential to be timeless. We feel like this will be a generation that is revolutionary to many more to come, to the future,” Nkemdiche said.
The word “vogue” means fashion at the time, so the trio hopes their show’s name “Immortal Vogue” will be a segue to make their product endless and timeless.
“That’s how we feel about our pieces – that they are going to be here forever – and about the fashion show as a whole,” Laolu said.
“What inspired us was that we all love fashion,” Toyosi said. “The movement is not in the fashion industry only. We want it to reach every aspect of life….Whatever we create we do not want it to be for a season or just a trend. We want it to live forever.”
“We want people to feel a confidence when they wear Timeless Generation clothing,” Nkemdiche said. “We feel like somebody can wear Timeless Generation and feel like that’s all the fly they need to go anywhere.”
In the future, Timeless Generation hopes to become a national brand and ultimately a global brand. The spring line will be coming soon.
In addition, Timeless Generation hopes that the Immortal Vogue Fashion Show will be a huge accomplishment for the trio.
“We hope to open the eyes of people of Mississippi,” Nkemdiche said. “Exposure is the main thing. We really want people to grasp the dope-ness that we push out.”
“We want to push the grain on creativity in Oxford,” Toyosi said. “We want to switch the style and tradition of Oxford, or at least embrace it.”
The host of the fashion show, the YAC, hopes that the Immortal Vogue Fashion show will spark a large interest within the community.
“We love to foster new artists, and we also like new programming for the community,” Meghan Gallagher, AmeriCorps VISTA and YAC staff member, said. “We’re hoping people will come out and enjoy themselves and take advantage of a fashion show in Oxford with artists and designers.”
Currently, Timeless Generation’s pieces range from $20-$120.
Before the fashion show, there will be an art display showcasing the YAC’s art, followed by a party after the show. Ticket prices range from $10 to $750, with the art show starting immediately at 7:30 p.m., the fashion show at 8 p.m. and the after party at 9 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council.
The YAC’s mission is to “stimulate, foster and promote educational opportunities and the creative arts and to try to provide the community with access to unique cultural experiences that reflect the region and its history,” according to their website. This fashion show will be an example of this mission in action.
Kenya Ashby
kiashby@go.olemiss.edu
