Coco Cultr Drops a New Line of Jersey Dresses

October 24, 2024

There’s something inherently demanding about transforming traditional silhouettes into new ones. Jesa Chiro proves she’s up to the challenge with her new collection of vintage basketball jerseys that have been refashioned into mini dresses. This modernization of classic pieces is central to Chiro’s brand, COCO CULTR. Founded in 2020, the brand is marked by its dedication to handmade garments, countering the fast-paced industry it inhabits. Chiro's most recent drop is a fresh take on femininity, taking stereotypically masculine pieces and crafting them to fit a more feminine audience. All the while, making more room for women to participate in streetwear culture.

Text by Abby Dillingham
Photography by Liv Solomon
Creative direction by Sarah Daoui and Jesa Chiro
Designed and styled by Jesa Chiro
Models Emily Hime, Celeste Luz, Jade Croo, Alissa Sugawara, Jordan Ford, Sarah Daoui

This collection in particular was inspired by a 1995 runway show by African designer Lamine Kouyaté, who collaborated with Puma for his brand Xuly-Bët. He created a collection of jerseys using all recycled materials. "Kouyaté’s words about reimagining synthetic materials that aren’t biodegradable struck me: 'These are modern fabrics... you could reinvent them instead of letting them rot,'" Chiro reflects.

By turning basketball jerseys into dresses, Chiro challenges our understanding of streetwear by taking it out of its stereotypical context. The dresses fuse elements of Black culture, sportswear, and femininity. This combination has resulted in innovative clothing that pulls from nostalgia while bringing in a contemporary twist. She recently debuted the dresses at Procell, a downtown vintage curator and storefront.

Fashion

Nikolaj Hansson Joins Diadora Legacy as Creative Director

October 31, 2024

Diadora's appointment of Danish designer Nikolaj Hansson as Creative Director for its Legacy line signals a fresh chapter for the brand. Known for his Copenhagen-based label Palmes, Hansson’s connection to Diadora began in childhood, admiring the brand’s iconic boots on Premier League defenders. Now, his deep respect for Diadora’s heritage and his vision for merging craftsmanship with progressive design will shape the brand’s premium Legacy line.

His first collection launching in Fall/Winter 2025, will blend his design ethos with Diadora’s storied history, tapping into both the brand’s past and a modern sensibility. Diadora’s CEO, Claudio Bora, shares Nikolaj Hansson's vision of sport as an emotional, daily experience, aiming to create apparel that resonates with the spirit of sport itself. As Hansson says, "the falling in love was mutual," and together, they aim to reignite that spark in a new generation of fans.