April 15, 2025 |
Cheek-grazing hotpants, a bulky bomber that would feel at home on the back of a burly, balding bouncer and itty-bitty crop tops that bare more than they cover; these are the calling cards for clothes of the Mowalola variety. Now, craft it all in an unapologetic cheetah print and you’ve got yourself a drop that is making the fash pack froth at the mouth. Dropping today, the London-based designer known for her rebellious codes has teamed up with Aussie denim label Ksubi to release nine pieces that embrace the brands’ joint love for not giving a fuck.
“I wanted to create something that was kind of sensual, but not too refined and proper,” says Mowalola of why she wanted cheetah to be the collection’s main print. Working with Ksubi was ideal for this, with the brand not being known as the clutch-at-the-pearls type – in 2001, it hit headlines for releasing 200 live rats onto the catwalk and in 2007, produced a calendar where sunglasses were used to decorate a variety of penises dressed like different characters. Talk about an eyeful. “We shredded the whole back of one of the bombers,” says Mowalola, explaining how her subversive approach married that of Ksubi regarding materiality. “I also wanted the front of the bomber – which is based off the classic graffiti bomber we do – to look like it had burn or tire marks. I wanted it to look industrial.”
When it comes to who’s wearing it, it’s someone who’s “daring, street and curious,” says Mowalola. It’s perhaps this criteria that guided her and Ksubi’s casting process when it came to selecting models for the campaign. A fuzzy, over-exposed rollout lensed by Jessica Mae Propper, it spouts an unpolished charm reminiscent of early ’00s videography. Featured faces include model Suki Baby and rapper and producer Skaiwater. “I wanted people that represented the collection. [The people I casted], I find their style to be quite inspiring. They all have a very strong sense of style. They don’t dress alike, but it’s all in the same family of going against the norm.”
So, why is rebellion so important to Mowalola and this collaboration? “I think it’s important because we want to see some kind of change or movement or development, whether it be in the world or just with how we dress. I feel like championing the things that happen on the outskirts, to me, it’s normal, but I guess to regular people, it’s not. So, it’s getting more people to push that boundary.” Fancy yourself a bit of a boundary-breaker this Tuesday evening? You know where to start. Ksubi x Mowalola is available online now, shop here.
Photography courtesy of Ksubi.
