If you’re somewhat familiar with the Swedish music and celebrity scene, chances are you’ve come across one of Selam Fessahaye’s creations before. The young stylist, who can now title herself a designer too, put on her first ever fashion show at this year’s Stockholm Fashion Week, and the entire event was a spectacle for the history books.
The catwalk featured some of Sweden’s most celebrated models, influencers and artists, all dressed in Selam Fessahaye’s original creations. The collection included layered tulle gowns, sheer neon playsuits, sleek oversized blazers, sequinned robes and silky pyjama suits. If you can name it, Selam probably designed it. Despite the collection being so all-encompassing, the entire line of clothes was created with a unique and consistent aesthetic – the Selam Fessahaye aesthetic, if you will.
As for the models, just about every person strutting down the runway was a person of colour. Interestingly, only two out of the 22 models were white – a situation most fashion industry people rarely find themselves in.
Some of Sweden’s most iconic singers, such as Seinabo Sey and Sabina Ddumba, were all part of the cast of models. The lineup of celebrity models together with the melanin representation made it an event way more remarkable and substantive than just amazing outfits. But rest assured, the first ever Selam Fessahaye collection would have made a splash with a mundane cast of models too. The collection was simply just. that. good.
Selam Fessahaye officially set the new standard for Stockholm Fashion Week, and before we know it, I’m sure she’ll be raising the bar at the Paris, London, Milan and New York fashion weeks too.
by Michelle Hallstrom
photos via Elle
