'Flowers Are Nice' is the lovechild of the resurrection of purpose, post-pandemic from a chameleon-like artist who thrives in a universe of endless possibilities. It is a fashion brand for the divine feminine with an otherworldly presence, manifested to express all that is and all that is not.
Unclassified between contemporary wear and streetwear, the label is what dreams are made of. Designed and curated by Nabeela September, a 27-year-old multi-disciplinary artist whose background is in advertising - namely art direction and creative production. Having worked on campaigns and sets for corporate brands to fashion houses, she always knew that her ultimate calling was to create. Creation, for her, is not linear. Fashion is not linear either.
Inspired by the nuances of international luxury fashion while growing up in the township streets between Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town from her early years through to adulthood - she noticed that the mere access to clothing suited to her ever-changing style was hard to find.
Established streetwear brands dominate the streets, creating a culture of brand capitalism adorned by everyone she's ever looked up to in her vicinity. It's no doubt that fashion is inspired by culture. Brown culture, where style is reinvented throughout the centuries.
Being a woman, of colour, in a country where so much is taken from you yet so little is expected of you, she wanted to create a brand true to her essence - and the essence of every femme she's ever known. The essence is everything within us, a silent voice of potential for anything, and everything around us - the culture, the people, the environment, and the circumstance. All of these factors make up who we are, who we think we are, and where we're headed.
Created in collaboration with local illustrator, Zarreen Samie, they brought to life four illustrations based on the collection's story "Btwn Hvn & Erth". Each titled illustration possesses a stage / a place / a feeling / a state of being through the process of transcendence in a modern world.
The Realisation: a dimmed light within yearning to be awakened.
The Seeker: a remembrance of divine knowledge, ready to surrender.
The Journey: the path to truth (the Arabic word illustrated is "Haqq" meaning truth).
The Destination: a total state of bliss - the six points on the symbol stands for "as above, so below, as within, so without, as the universe, so the soul"
The collection is made up of 18 Ready-To-Wear pieces carefully designed with each piece serving a significant aesthetic purpose. Every garment draws inspiration from the colour palette of the heavens and the earth - the orange of the horizon, the beige of the mountains and terrains, the blue of the glorious sky and all the heavens, the black on the galaxy and unknown and the white of the light and everything in between.
We're creating a new world without creative constructs, sisterhood, and community with a plethora of possibilities.
Photography: Jarryd Kleinhans,
Makeup: Giovanna Seale
Creative Direction: Nabeela September
Launching online, find it at https://www.flowersarenice.com, coupled with an exhibition and launch party at Inner City Ideas Cartel (Cape Town) on 5 November 2020.