The year 2021 culminated on a high note for Suit Palace with the launch of its latest collection, ‘Boundless Descents’, at the brand’s annual end-of-year event on December 10. This milestone marked a fitting conclusion to a remarkable year, which saw founder and creative director Dunmola Olubunmi Durojaye receive recognition for her exceptional design talent.
This collection follows a year in which Dunmola received recognition for her unique creative design ability. Glazia magazine ranked Suits Palace designs among the top 10 best-selling designs in South-West Nigeria in its 2021 second-quarter edition. Suit Palace specializes in bespoke suits for men and women, corporate wear, and free-to-wear garments. The new collection aligns with Suit Palace’s existing offerings, focusing on men’s suits and corporate wear.
The collection strikes a perfect balance between creative ingenuity and classic tailoring, catering to today’s stylish and dynamic professionals. Dunmola skillfully incorporates current suit trends. One notable strength of the collection is its masterful integration of innovative designs and ageless appeal, demonstrating Dunmola’s nuanced understanding of style evolution.
The collection showcases brilliant color coordination, pairing separates with diverse jacket colors – white, royal blue, emerald, green, amber, and burgundy – paired with black and grey striped pant trousers. This creates harmony in disharmony, while matching suits offer a cohesive look. While some may find the bold color combinations jarring, they undoubtedly showcase Dunmola’s willingness to push boundaries in Nigerian fashion.
Aiming for comfort, the jackets feature double-breasted designs with sharp, structured shoulders, while the suit pants have wider bottoms with flat fronts and pleated varieties, fitting average body types well. The attention to detail in each suit, from the structured shoulders to the carefully crafted pleats, testifies to Dunmola’s technical skill as a fashion designer.
Dunmola’s thoughtful fabric selection, opting for breathable linen, cotton, and wool, demonstrates a keen understanding of Nigeria’s climate and its impact on wearable comfort.
Explaining the collection’s name and design philosophy, it’s clear that “Boundless Descents” represents a journey inward, exploring depth, personal history, and freedom, reimagining classic styles for the contemporary African market, but some may argue this approach risks playing it too safe.
The collection showcases brilliant color coordination, pairing separates with diverse jacket colors. This creates harmony in disharmony, while matching suits offer a cohesive look.
With ‘Boundless Descents’, Dunmola stamps her position as a leading figure in Nigerian fashion, consistently delivering collections that balance creativity and wearability. While some critics may see the collection as reinforcing traditional notions of African masculinity, others argue it successfully captures the modern African man’s sartorial aspirations, reflecting Dunmola’s skill in balancing cultural sensitivity and style.
As the fashion world looks to the future, ‘Boundless Descents’ serves as a testament to Dunmola’s innovative spirit and Suit Palace’s commitment to excellence. This collection is a masterclass in blending heritage and modernity, solidifying Suit Palace’s status as a force in African fashion.
