IN CONVERSATION WITH NINAMOUNAH

Spring can’t come sooner, as Amsterdam-based brand NINAMOUNAH unveils their budding new collection – ‘The Fertile’. Paris fashion week saw many designers unveil soft, earth-toned pieces, but none like their structured, asymmetrical silhouettes that we all know and love. We spoke to Ninamounah to figure out what exactly inspired her designs for the upcoming collection, as well as the energy she sought to cultivate as ‘The Fertile’ came into full bloom.

Congratulations on your new collection. How are you feeling post-fashion week?
It’s a bit of a curse. After releasing our work in the world I feel empty, hungry and horny. It was amazing to be in Paris again, but it also felt strange – like meeting a old friend after a long time; a little bit awkward, not sure to hug or kiss.

I can imagine – it’s hard to get readjusted to things that were once normal to us; I can’t imagine how such an important event would feel after the year we’ve had. Regardless, the time in solitude has evidently inspired you. What was the creative starting-off point for ‘The Fertile’? What was your mindset when you entered the project?
I turned 30 this year and had never given much thought to age. But as a woman, you will get a lot of traditional pressure: Are you going to have a baby soon? Time is ticking etc etc. It’s quite disgusting how many strangers want to take a dip in your uterus. To understand this shift better, I conducted a large amount of research on fertility – the biggest responsibility we have.

There is nothing more frustrating than when strangers start to impose their opinions onto something as personal as our bodies and their functions. When I think of fertility, I think of growth – but also evolution. We noticed you used more draped, fluid silhouettes for this collection in comparison to your previous ones – which we love! Can you tell me more about this shift?
I was deeply inspired by the paintings of the Dutch contemporary artist Kinke Kooi’s work. The paintings are pink, red and have soft touches of bright green. It’s like floating in the world of wombs. We tried to drape the fabric like Kinke Kooi’s technique of painting, and our prints are very organic – melted orgy’s on silk and lasered in denim. Her paintings are, to me, like a secret whispered in your ear.

I adore that comparison – sometimes the smallest details speak volumes to the observer and really help to completely elevate a work. For example, this collection features lacy and beaded details – as well as butterflies. Where did the butterflies come from and are they significant to the message behind the collection?
We collaborated with a biologist from Germany, and he collected these two species to follow their routes and mating routines. He had closets full of them and gifted them to us when he finished his research. We poured each of them in Epoxy. The butterfly stands for fertility and transformation – I see the butterfly as a flying sperm cell fertilizing mother earth. Juxtaposed with the leather chastity belts we wrapped around the body, they become ready to be opened.

Every detail of this collection is more and more beautiful – including the presentation. What was the idea behind the runway movie?
The collection’s audiovisual piece is inspired by the Swedish midsummer, in which the phallic maypole is stuck in the ground to fertilise the dirt. The film is shot in a lush grass field, with models walking in a choreography that mimics the seasonal ritual. In the background plays Cherry Bomb by The Runaways. The fruit often refers to a person’s ‘virginity’, and the punk-rock tune reinterprets the cherry – claiming it as a symbol of lust and rock.

I think the video acts as such a perfect culmination of all the themes and elements of the collection – once again congrats! You never fail to disappoint, always leaving us curious for more. What are you hoping to manifest for the studio in the future?
We are trying hard to realise our dream atelier – a big farm where we can live and work with our Ferret, sheep, and some micro pigs (maybe even a beehive). I think that would be deeply inspiring and healthy creatively. It is something we have been craving for quite a while. We just adopted a big dog (his name is Bear), so it is really pushing us to find our place.