Sarah Vera
TRIBE
‘TRIBE’ is an SS24 womenswear collection inspired by the Ndebele culture and the city of Newcastle. Its based on the story of a women who moved to Newcastle from South Africa for a better life. Although living in Newcastle is a new chapter in her life, She doesn’t wat to lose her Ndebele culture, but rather embrace it through the city. She takes a stroll down the Quayside and is inspired by the Architecture of the buildings, focusing on key areas that represent Newcastle and its structure and shape. In collaboration, with Newcastle will translate the shapes of wall paintings into vibrant colour that reflect her cultural heritage.
The traditional key garment from her culture, ‘Ngube’ (marriage blanket) is adorned with vertical, bold coloured stripes and beads that personalise their life story. At the bottom, the blanket wraps around the women to represent their marriage; it flows and forms the drapes that will serve as the silhouette. the motive of this collection is to modernise it into everyday clothing that she can proudly wear around Newcastle, it also serves as a means of demonstrating to others that traditional clothing need not be reserved for formal events. wearing it every day allows you to embrace your culture whenever you are located.