Cotilda beautifully infuses culture and contemporary fashion with bold collection

Cotilda at AFWL 2016 - Photo by OneVybe

Fashion designer, Cotilda, through her bold debut at the 2016 Africa Fashion Week London, showed how her brand has successfully managed to infuse her African heritage with contemporary design. The collection included simply cut garments with bold prints, colours and finish that will appeal to a multicultural population worldwide.



The young Malawi-born fashion designer launched her bespoke clothing label and website Cotilda.com in 2015 after completing a Degree in Creative Design and Fashion Enterprise and a Masters in Future Design at Teesside University.



Cotilda told OneVybe that one of her earliest influences was her mother's love of design and sewing saying: "It was from there that I developed the passion for bringing ideas to life. My skills of design and sewing further developed when my family and I moved from Malawi to the United Kingdom in 2001."



"Malawi and Middlesbrough are very much part of who I am. I have two homes, two cultures you could say, that I want to continuously intertwine and celebrate through the mixture of various fabrics, colour, pattern and textures, as a tool of communicating both these western and non-western attires."



Professionals who like to make a statement through their clothing either at work or for special occasions are very much likely to be attracted to Cotilda's vibrant pieces. The label provides a bespoke service for men and women because Cotilda belives it is important to provide a designer's touch to each individual client's needs.



On what inspires her, Cotilda told OneVybe, "I greatly admire Dior with the 'New Look' and Vivienne Westwood with 'Punk.' Their clothing is something that had an impact on society; it was not just fashion and trend they provided, they presented historical pieces that people continuously reflect upon today. Another is Lilly Alfonso, a Malawian designer with a simple cut and beautiful use of fabric."



In addition to successfully applying to take part in the AFWL 2016, Cotilda has established clear strategies, including making contacts and collaborating with others in the industry in order to propel her brand forward. Other events that Cotilda took part in include 'The Taste of Africa' in October and the 'Tees Valley Fashion Show' that she will attend towards Christmas time.



Cotilda said: "I enjoy learning through collaborations, that is why I hope to work with other designers some of which I have made contact with through AFWL16. I hope to participate in other fashion shows and build my connections while continuously establishing 'Cotilda.com.'"



The fashion brand is also interested in social issues and Cotilda also hopes that as the brand grows, it can effectively support more social and environment issues. To date, Cotilda has also worked with the Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (MIMA), teaching women basic skills, which she said was a very rewarding experience.

For more information:
http://www.cotilda.com/
https://www.facebook.com/cotildasfashion/

- OneVybe