University of Westminster Menswear MA alumna Priya Ahluwalia has designed a denim jacket, paying homage to the movie Soul as part of Disney’s 100th birthday celebrations.
To celebrate its 100th year, Disney is set to hold an auction in support of the Make-A-Wish foundation. The clothes up for auction have been donated by a range of fashion brands including Christian Louboutin, Virgil Abloh and Westminster’s own Priya Ahluwalia’s brand, Ahluwalia. The clothing is set to pay homage to Disney’s long and vibrant history, with Priya using the 2020 film Soul as her inspiration.
Her jacket incorporates elements of the film upon the dark and light denim material, while also capturing a fusion of Indian and Nigerian culture. Like the movie, jazz is at the heart of the jacket, with embroidered jazz instruments on the front. Using embroidery and lasered artwork she has also incorporated the landscapes that run through the film, serving as a backdrop for the vibrant characters, which are also featured on the jacket.
Priya founded her fashion brand Ahluwalia in 2018 and has won a number of awards since, including Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. She was the fourth recipient of the award which was presented to her by the Countess of Wessex on behalf of the Queen as part of London Fashion Week. The Queen instated the Award in 2018 to commend talented emerging designers who show “exceptional talent and originality, whilst demonstrating value to the community and/or strong sustainable policies”. Ahluwalia was presented the award for her “active contribution to changing the industry for the better”.
Professor Andrew Groves, Professor of Fashion Design, said: “Because of its utilitarian nature, Priya has always used denim in her work as a very democratic means of engaging the widest possible audience. Her jacket for Disney's centennial celebrations exemplifies this to great effect, and I have no doubt that it will fetch a substantial amount at auction."
Check out Priya's design and find out more about her creative process in her interview with Soho House.
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