SPRING 2018 READY-TO-WEAR : STELLA JEAN
Stella Jean’s backstory this season is a goody. The Haitian designer discovered La Paz, Bolivia’s Cholitas luchadores community—and was instantly inspired. The Cholitas are “petticoat wrestlers” or “fighting goddesses” who wear their colorful native dress in the ring and out of it, and have faced discrimination for doing so. As Jean tells it, they’re forbidden to travel by public bus and taxi because they haven’t adopted modern Western dress. Through their visibility in the wrestling ring, they’re bringing awareness to their mistreatment and have become symbols of indigenous pride. “To me,” Jean said backstage, “it’s a message of how fashion can be a powerful tool of independence.”
This kind of cultural appropriation can be a tricky business for a designer. Jean has wrestled with it in the past, but here, she handled it well, presenting a short video before the start of the show in which a young Bolivian woman discussed her country’s cholas and thanked Jean for shining a light on them. A celebration of their culture an ocean away won’t affect the cholas one way or the other, but it’s a positive development when a designer acknowledges the debt she owes to her source of inspiration.
The clothes were engaging, too, obviously influenced by the chola culture but not too costumey, despite the surfeit of embroidered ruffles, peasant tops and skirts, and traditional hats. A vivid green tie-dye shirtdress worn unbuttoned over matching shorts was a highlight, along with the patchwork print of ikat weaving used for a trim shirt and cropped pants. Some of the sport-couture combos were a little silly—who’s really going to wear an embroidered duchesse ball skirt with her exercise tank and leggings?—but the Stella Jean Wrestling Team logo shirts nailed the current fashion moment on the head.By: Nicole Phelps | September 24, 2017
Why This Italian-Haitian Designer Loved by Beyonce, Rihanna and More Should be On Your Radar
This Rome-based fashion star opens up about her Haitian roots and how clothes can be a cultural connector.ESSENCE: What inspires your creations?STELLA JEAN: My own story—my roots and background have always inspired my work. I'm half-Haitian and half-Italian. Haiti influences my creativity. The sociocultural fusion I bring in my collections is perfectly represented by a country like Haiti and in line with my fundamental need to convey a new concept of multiculturalism. Fashion can be a cultural translator; we can reestablish the proportion among symbols, stories and different worlds through style.ESSENCE: How would you describe the Stella Jean woman?S.J.: Women who are confident, curious, audacious, not afraid to experiment and who cherish family memories, plus have a pinch of irony—all of which makes every look personal and unique.ESSENCE: Who are your favorite designers?S.J.: Dries Van Noten, who mixes different cultures in a tasteful and respectful way. And Etro, who sums up a blend of tradition and innovation.ESSENCE: What are your go-to beauty products?S.J.: Kreyòl Essence 100% natural Haitian black castor oil, pure organic moringa oil (from the southern coast of Haiti) by Ayiti Natives and MAC's In Extreme Dimension mascara.By Bridgette Bartlett Royall (for Essence.com) | Apr, 26, 2017