By Cassell Ferere originally published on Forbes.com

After an exhausting week of events and fashion shows in celebration of New York Fashion Week, it would take a war to end the summer of 2021 with motifs that rang church bells in the wild. The streetwear luxury designer and DIY denim trendsetter Everard Best, or Ev Bravado, and Tela D’Amore, founders and creative directors of Who Decides War took to the runway for a send-off into the fall season with his Spring Summer 2022 collection at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum. 

Sunday, September 12, 2021, Intrepid Ship, top deck: On the aircraft carrier were fighter jets and helicopters of the wars of yesteryear. Many New York City industry socialites were in attendance under the afternoon sun on the Hudson River. The guest list included fashion designer Kirby Jean-Raymond of Pyer Moss, NBA All-Star and two-time champion Kawhi Leonard, hip hop artists Joey Badass, Cordae, and Brent Faiyaz, and budding star and actor, Rome Flynn of the television show “How To Get Away With Murder.” “I think further regarding the overarching concept of showing in general, we wanted to bring New York out. That was the biggest thing for us,” D’Amore states.

This season’s collection focuses on duality. Bravado says “some of the motifs of the all-over print hoodie shows the juxtaposition of abundance and bareness. A reflection of the world in the last 3 to 4 years - pre-COVID and post-COVID.” Stain glass design patchwork is seen throughout, which Bravado says he wants to become a “brand identifier.”

Bravado and D’Amore have a collaborative connection that reflects their upbringings precisely. D’Amore’s grandfather's involvement in World War II as a First Lieutenant inspires the military aesthetic. Bravado, on the other hand, was raised within the church. His father was a church minister and tailor. Bravado's father had a tailor shop where he would hone his skills. Finding a balance between the two keeps the collections fresh and free from clichés. “I give things a militaristic look without being too intentional with camo. It boils down to the fabrication - like ripstop,” Bravado says. D’Amore continues, “we play around with materials that are present, and certain colors. The furthest we get is a cream or olive.”

Model in look 9 for Who Decides War runway, NYFW SS22, September 12, 2021.

MADISON VOELKEL/BFA.COM

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Bravado has been designing customized, unique denim styles as far back as more than a handful of years ago. He built on his skills learned from his father and his love of dressing to impress. Now his label is in its fourth collection of creating statement-making denim crafted designs, adorned with embroidery. After two showings at Paris Fashion Week in the previous years, the post-pandemic presentation of Who Decides War was indeed a homecoming where the brand first took to the streets before taking off.

A display of embellishments, adorned with embroidery and intricately cut tops, and baggy silhouettes were considerably the uniform of this war. Each garment had some reference to stained glass windows familiar with church interiors displayed in the embroidered pieces. Images of biblical proportions gave structure to selected garments like skirts and jackets, with recurring embroidery patchwork, while other garments boasted cable knitting and bold collars.

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