New York Fashion Week Day Three
The circular runway at the Edun show was not just a development of previous complex sets. It suggested that this brand with a soul, founded by Ali Hewson and Bono as a support for Africa, has come full circle as a fashion endeavour.
The clothes created by designer Danielle Sherman had barely a hint of the ethnic in their streamlined shapes and simple silhouettes. Mixing white and shades of grey, the effect was modern, as tunics fell straight to the body, with strips of shading at tunic or trouser hemlines.
It is important that ethical fashion lines, with fabrics sourced in countries such as Africa, are not viewed as charity, but as appealing fashion. A black tunic with a scarlet insert from bust to waist or a jacket with insert panels of animal prints, looked both urban and modern.
In fact, the greatest fashion compliment that can be paid to Edun is that the entire collection formed a circle of modern fashion – without a hint of the ethnic.