“It’s really the spirit of the tank top.”
Following the success of K.ngsley’s hero item, the intricate “going-out” tank top, designer Kingsley Gbadegesin started to question how to keep the momentum going for his growing brand: “How do we carry this spirit? How do we carry this energy into the world? It’s just the energy of what we stand for that is interjected into these pieces.”
K.ngsley’s latest vision came to light with his third full collection, “C3,” shown last week in a vibey Bushwick warehouse to a largely LGBTQIA+, POC audience. Fitting for a designer whose ethos focuses on Black, LGBTQIA+ and femme communities by creating clothes that celebrate intersectionality and subvert gender norms.
Ahead of the show, guests were greeted by statuesque Black male models showing off their ripped physiques while posing on podiums in crisp, white boxer-style “Get-It” shorts, the designer’s bestselling shorts. There was no mistake that Gbadegesin was here to honor Black bodies, as the half-clothed models set the tone for the coed show.
A look from K.ngsley collection 3.
Courtesy of Selwyn Tungol and K.NGSLEY
The first look: a simple, white, thigh-skimming shirtdress echoed the dressed yet undressed sensibility, followed by a series of looks that continued to riff on the classic men’s white shirt. Gbadegesin explained, “Our DNA is very rooted in staples. It’s rooted in shirting. It’s rooted in the act of contemporary and an elevated edge. And just that staple that’s in your closet. Every season there’s some ideation of shirting — poplin, oxfords — the K.ngsley staples.”
The trendy rugby polo was updated with diagonal stripes and built-in air conditioning via armpit slits. K.ngsley’s hit “going-out” tank top was updated with almost hybrid necklines that incorporated multiple straps and layers. Shorts, both long and super-short, rounded out multiple looks, making it easy to imagine what the Bushwick LGBTQIA+ crowd would wear to go dancing late night.
A look from K.ngsley collection 3.
Courtesy of Selwyn Tungol and K.NGSLEY
Other looks shown on female models felt like seductive gestures, such as sheer minidresses with falling spaghetti straps. Elsewhere, asymmetrical bands draped and wrapped around the body before pooling into a skirt of scanty strips.
As Gbadegesin made his way out for the show finale, a sense of excitement was palpable. The crowd was not only cheering on the clothes; they were rooting for the designer who made them feel seen.