Cape Verdean designer presents a collection inspired by cultural fusion and creative identity.
The renowned Cape Verdean designer Angela Brito showcased a collection at SPFW N58, held this Saturday, marked by strong cultural references and a distinctive creative identity. Titled “Crioula,” the collection is the result of Brito’s recent visit to Cape Verde, from December 2023 to March 2024, and reflects the meeting of African and European cultures that shaped the history of her home country.
Angela Brito, who has lived in Brazil for over three decades, found her primary inspiration for these creations in Cape Verdean cultural miscegenation. Backstage at the event, the designer shared her vision of Creole identity, emphasizing how it emerges from the fusion of diverse elements, such as languages, customs, and traditions. For her, the concept of “creolization” should not be seen as cultural dilution, but as the birth of a new, unique identity.
This concept is creatively translated into the pieces of the collection, where Angela explores unusual volumes and shapes, such as the use of pockets and layering that allude to the adaptation and accumulation of cultural elements over time. In an innovative approach, the designer reversed the capitoné technique, giving the pieces an interesting and distinctive texture.
Among the chosen materials, Angela continues to highlight “pánu di téra,” a traditional Cape Verdean fabric, alongside linen, silk, and leather-like nylon. The vibrant colors and strategic use of layering express the layers of Creole identity, reinforcing the designer’s narrative about the cultural richness born from miscegenation.
In her debut as the stylist for her own show, Angela Brito brought to the runway a series of details loaded with personal and cultural meanings, such as the harvest gloves and the sunglasses created in collaboration with Ray-Ban, both evoking the essence of the Creole woman and her daily life.
The soundtrack chosen for the presentation, marked by morna, a musical genre from Cape Verde, was another way of reaffirming the cultural identity that the designer seeks to highlight, contrasting with the mistaken interpretations that associate her work with Portuguese fado.
With “Crioula,” Angela Brito not only translated her own cultural heritage but also provoked reflection on how miscegenation contributes to the construction of singular and strong identities. Her work reaffirms the importance of creolization as a celebration of diversity and the creative power of cultural mixtures.
