The intent behind my work is to elevate the intersection of fine art & garment making through a sensorial approach to design in investigating the cyclical behaviors of ornamentation. Whether it is dressing for pleasure, protection, prestige, and ritual, we cannot escape the spirit of adornment even if we tried. The roots of it run too deep, but we can attempt to harness the zeitgeist driving the evolution of attire through space, time, and capture. As a proud SCAD Atlanta alumni, I have cultivated a multidisciplinary approach in the way I create. In doing so, The SCAD curriculum encouraged its students to apply our multidisciplinary skill sets towards local driven platforms.
In this exploration, my contribution to the cultural scene of Atlanta spans from 8 years of activity in installation work, studio production, music, sculpture, performance art, and fashion. My involvement locally has also paved the way for international opportunities. In the fall of 2018, I was selected to study under couturier, Iris Van Herpen in Amsterdam, Netherlands. I was given the confidence to apply fine artistry in sculpture into dressmaking. As this realization unfolded, my intentions as a multidisciplinary artist became more clearly defined .I want to transcend this new found perspective in the next body of work to be made here, home, in Atlanta.
BASIC: Which movie character would you love your brand to be worn by and why?
EUKONO: Madame Blanc from Guadagnino’s 2018 adaptation of Suspiria. She was a disciplined breed, a character built from the legendary likes of modern dance choreographer, Martha Graham. Madame Blanc dressed with sacrality, she understood that the nature of garments are the extension of movement, and that awareness is what Eukono is carried by. The body, an altar. We all dress for ritual.
BASIC: If your designs transformed into an animal, what would it be and why?
EUKONO: The spirit animal of Eukono would be the King Cobra. In the classification of snake species, unlike the Naja cobras we commonly know, King Cobras are given a special genus, Ophiohagus. What sets them apart from the rest? King Cobras devour other snakes, and even ones larger than themselves. In accompaniment to this scientific fact, the King Cobra has historically represented wisdom, transformation, and gracefulness. These symbolic associations mentioned are aligned with what we do here at Eukono. The act of self adornment is a transformative practice, we want every person who comes across a Eukono original to feel empowered like the King Cobra itself.
BASIC: What are the first five songs are on your favorite playlist?
EUKONO: The first five songs of my playlist, entitled (try me!).
- Havana Moon by Chuck Berry. A fearless ode to femininity.
- Rare/Blue by Solomon. A 7:20 min track of pure ecstasy.
- 12 Choppa Got Dat ASS shakin. By Amber London.
- Yah Mean by Playboicarti.
- Long time no see by Lonely Band and Bonnie Banane.
