A vibrant, daring representation of Ahmad Abdullatif’s journey to discover himself, Façade collection explores three major obstacles - society, social media and the designer’s own personal struggle. A reflection of the designer’s take on society, and a portrayal of how its norms and expectations can have a detrimental effect on young people, this collection shines a light on a gritty, complicated subject worthy of a conversation. Ahmad also highlights how social media has led to a distorted sense of reality, and has unintentionally created an unhealthy obsession among young people by encouraging them to portray an idealistic, romanticized version of both themselves and their lives to others in order to feel validated. When it comes to expressing his own personal struggle, Ahmad conjured up a defence mechanism of sorts. Through the creation of an imaginary army that surrounds and protects him from the negative life experiences associated with both society and social media, the designer turned an uncertain, even frightening situation into a safe, secure one before opting for hard-hitting prints and buttons that resemble faces.
Comprised of oversized silhouettes, drawstring details, knife pleats and safari pockets, Ahmad Abdullatif’s final collection experiments with taffeta, chiffon, denim, poplin and organza. Featuring an array of structured shapes and draped pieces, this line-up is punctuated with bursts of purple, yellow and orange for a determined, assertive aesthetic. These bold hues each have a meaning of their own, representing individuality, hope and danger respectively.
