LAFW, A N4XT EXPERIENCE: THEOPHILIO
LAFW, A N4XT EXPERIENCE, BROUGHT FASHION TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN L.A.
Theophilio’s Edvin Thompson brought his Spring 2024 Collection to life at LAFW. Since winning the CFDA Emerging Designer of the Year award in 2021, Edvin’s been hard at work on his own line, Dressing Hollywood’s elite and creating custom looks for his extended list of A-list Clients. This season we saw vibrant silhouettes, loose knits, and his signature snakeskin embossed fabrics made for both Red Carpet and IRL. We’ve got a sneak peek backstage before his L.A. Debut. The Collection featured footwear by Jessica Rich and Clarks Original. Special thanks to Oya Labs. Read our exclusive Interview with Edvin below.
Photographers: Evers @ev.ers
BACKSTAGE PASS:
Featured Interview with Designer Edvin Thompson:
TELL US ABOUT THE COLLECTION YOU JUST SHOWED IN LAFW
The collection I just showed for LAFW “Out of Many, One People” is a continuous celebration of identity. Through the process of sketching and sourcing fabrications for the collection I found myself going back to memories of when I lived in New Jersey.
THIS IS YOUR FIRST SHOW IN LOS ANGELES HOW DID THIS SHOW COMPARE TO ONES IN NYC FOR YOU
The creative climate is slightly different. LA is more relaxed and free-flowing. LA brought a different crowd of creatives that I was looking forward to seeing and interacting with for the first time.
HOW IMPORTANT IS FAMILY TO YOU AND HOW DOES IT SHOW UP IN YOUR DESIGNS
Family is extremely important, it’s the genesis of my entire story. It’s everything I talk about and everything I celebrate in my work.
HOW IS YOUR CREATIVITY DISRUPTING THE FASHION INDUSTRY
People see me as a very fun, sexy, high-energy brand compared to the political landscape of fashion now. I think we’ve always had the creative space where we really just have a good time from the creative process to the final runway production. There are no gimmicks behind what we do. We show up and we show good clothes.
WHAT IS YOUR DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
My design philosophy is every garment has its integrity and deserves to be shared and celebrated. It’s more than just a piece of cloth.
WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO GET INTO THE FASHION INDUSTRY
I didn’t necessarily want to get into the fashion industry at first. I enjoyed making clothes and watching my family make clothes and now here I am.
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR 16-YEAR-OLD SELF
Get your driver’s license.
WHAT IS ONE MOMENT THAT STICKS WITH YOU IN YOUR MIND OF THE CARIBBEAN COAST
The image that always comes to my mind is how the water meets the sand and the sand meets the trees and how interconnected everything is. The waterfalls, and blue lagoons, are all connected.
HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR JAMAICAN ROOTS IN YOUR FASHION AESTHETIC
My Jamaican roots definitely show in my fashion aesthetic through the fabrications and silhouettes. A lot of Jamaican influence was already within fashion and was already there before I came along and my goal is just to continue amplifying that influence from my perspective.
SO MANY CELEB GIRLS HAVE WORN YOUR COLLECTION HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE TP WOMAN
I would describe the TP Woman as audacious, sexy, confident, alluring, and captivating.
HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE YOUR QUEERNESS THROUGH FASHION
Celebrate queerness with creative work: photoshoots, video campaigns, creative project
WHAT SONG IS ON REPEAT WHEN YOU WERE DESIGNING THIS COLLECTION
Us Against the World – Jungle
DO YOU HAVE A MUSE AT THE MOMENT
Not necessarily, as I start new projects new muses come to me all of the time.
WE NEED A TP FRAGRANCE IF SO WHAT WOULD THE NOTES BE
A mix of woods like Cedar or sandalwood + musk + vanilla
WHAT IS NEXT ON YOUR JOURNEY
Without revealing too much we have a lot of things on the horizon. Theophilio as a brand will be traveling to new places with some exciting collaborations coming up too.
Team Credits:
Photographers: Evers @ev.ers
Assistant: Carlos Ramirez @carlosramirez.iii
Cover Design: Carlos Graciano @sadpapi666
Galore Features Editor: Perrin Johnson @Editsbyperry
Editor-in-chief/Photography: Prince Chenoa @princechenoastudio
