Thursday, August 29, 2024 During the upcoming London Fashion Week, a distinctive fashion event titled “We Wear Heritage” is set to unfold. Orchestrated by CVS Brent with backing from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, this initiative highlights the cultural tapestry of Brent by uniting 11 distinct community groups. These groups endeavor to locally develop and execute heritage projects, which involve gathering and preserving narratives centered around their traditional textiles, attire, or costumes, and sharing these legacies with a wider audience.
On September 16th, 2024, these cultural expressions will take center stage at a fashion show at St Mary’s Church in Marylebone, curated by Rafael dos Santos, an events producer and director of Best of Brazil Community CIC. The event opens its doors to the public at 1 p.m.
, offering a platform where each garment narrates the rich cultural stories of Brent’s diverse communities. The fashion show promises a tapestry of traditional designs, from the detailed hand-embroidered Afghan garments to the bright and lively Somali textiles, each showcasing the unique cultural heritage and artistic expression of its community. These garments are more than just clothing; they are vibrant representations of cultural pride and history.
Here are the community groups and their heritage projects showcased at the event: Highlighting the event, the fashion showcase titled “Mi Moda Indígena” features as a grand finale, returning after its debut success in 2023. Curated by Rafael dos Santos, this segment presents the work of seven Indigenous Brazilian communities. Fashion designer Seanny Arts and her daughter, Reby Oliveira, lead this creative endeavor, transforming natural elements like tree bark, palm leaf fiber, and fish scales into exquisite, hand-painted outfits that capture the essence of the Amazon Forest.
Rafael says, ‘I am so proud to showcase the designer of our Indigenous people from the Brazilian Amazon region. There are about 35k Brazilian residents in Brent, so it’s an honour for me to showcase our culture to a city that welcomes our heritage’..
