One of the collection’s key references was FESTAC ’77, the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture held in Lagos, Nigeria. The month-long gathering brought artists, writers, musicians and thinkers from across Africa and the Black diaspora together in 1977. It was a celebration, but it was also a declaration that Black culture deserved to be seen, protected and shared on a global scale.

Ahluwalia did not turn that history into a literal costume. She used aerial photographs and floor plans from the festival venue to create an abstract red, green and white print. It appeared on an off-the-shoulder dress, a soccer-inspired shirt and a matching Bermuda-short set. That was one of the smartest decisions in the collection. The reference had meaning, but the clothes still looked current.

The print worked because it had energy. Red and green moved across a white base in a way that felt graphic without becoming stiff. On the fitted dress, it made the silhouette feel even more direct. On the soccer shirt and shorts, it felt communal and easy. The same idea could live in more than one kind of wardrobe.

The sportswear belonged in the story