Naomi Campbell puts spotlight on black designers in new Pretty Little Thing collection
Naomi Campbell has collaborated with two black designers for her upcoming Pretty Little Thing collection.
The 53-year-old supermodel has teamed up with emerging designers Victor Anate, 20, from Nigeria, and Jamaica-born Edvin Thompson, who is based in New York and runs ready-to-wear label Theophilio.
“This collaboration is an extension of my commitment to create and promote opportunities for young, emerging designers,” Campbell said.
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“Within my collection, it was important to recognise and include some of the amazing talent that’s out there.
“I’m very intentional about using my platform to create opportunities for the next generation of creatives from around the world.”
The collection merges Anate and Thompson’s new and experimental ideas with Campbell’s timeless style. Set to be unveiled on September 5 during New York Fashion Week, it’s made up of 15 looks in different colours.
The show has been described by Pretty Little Thing as an “electrifying fashion experience, echoing the British fashion icon’s ethos of innovation, glamour and empowerment”.
Anate set up Lagos-based fashion brand Vicante in 2019 and is inspired by film, literature and romance. He worked with Campbell and the design team at Pretty Little Thing to create a cut-out bodycon dress.
Thompson – who founded Brooklyn-based fashion label Theophilio in 2016 and won the CFDA Award for being the American Emerging Designer of The Year in 2021 – designed an off-white satin dress for the collection. His designs are said to be inspired by Jamaica’s dancehall culture and the restless energy of New York.
Other pieces in the collection include a belted black leather trench coat, sparkly mini dresses, a tailored jumpsuit and faux leather outfits.
According to Chris Parnell, head of design at Pretty Little Thing, “This collaboration with Naomi Campbell is a monumental moment for Pretty Little Thing. We are not just launching a new collection; we are making history with the most significant collaboration we’ve ever undertaken.”
Pretty Little Thing first announced the collaboration in June, paying homage “to Naomi’s legacy and iconic signature style”.
Campbell first shot to fame as one of the original ‘supers’ in the 1980s, along with models Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington. The quartet recently reunited in a joint cover for British and American Vogue, ahead of the release of docuseries The Super Models in September.
She’s a staunch supporter of black designers, including Kenneth Ize (who she modelled for when he made his Paris Fashion Week debut in 2020) and Bianca Saunders – for whom she hosted a dinner in Paris in 2022.
Fans can sign up to find out more about the collection here.
