Head of State's Taofeek Abijako Writes His Own Design Codes for Fall 2023

“This season, we’re going to no man’s land,” Head of State creative director Taofeek Abijako told Hypebeast before his Fall/Winter 2023 runway show. By that, the Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based designer means he’s writing entirely new style codes, with (his favorite) French writer Éduoard Glissant’s study of creole language origins as a reference point. “I’m pulling from my own upbringing in Nigeria, which is completely different from my life in the U.S,” he said. “I’m combining those two cultures and trying to write my own creole.”

Per the brand’s notes, Head of State’s FW23 collection chronicles the journey of Abijako’s father, Nureni Abijako, from Lagos, Nigeria to Spain. In 2004, Nureni, also a fashion designer, attempted a “quite illegal” voyage across oceans and deserts in search of a better future for his family in the west.

Braving the elements, he used clothing as a means of survival, constructing new pockets in jackets for food and creating storage components in his soles for money. Upon reaching Libya, however, Nureni’s wistful dreams of his family turned his compass back home — where just a few months later, he won the American visa lottery. Thus, the collection earned its title: “Memories of Home.”

“If you can use clothes as a form of survival, that is design in its truest form,” said Taofeek. “I wanted to reference that aspect of functionality in this collection.”

On Tuesday, Head of States’ show opened with a series of white ensembles: dresses flared outward with a wire construction holding their shape, tops were cut asymmetrically and knit sweaters layered over collared shirts and tulle skirts. A short-sleeve button-up shirt boasted dramatic lapels and buttons of varying sizes, and a true-blue shirt was seen through a transparent poncho-like construction, highlighting Taofeek’s utilitarian approach. 

The same see-through textile connected tops to bottoms on a number of feminine silhouettes. A men’s suit was finished with a corset at the waist, much like the one Evan Mock wore to last year’s “Gilded Glamour” Met Gala. Speaking of Mock, he appeared on the runway sporting dramatic acrylic nails and a singular, long braid. His look, all black, included a button-up coat and trousers split over the foot. 

Tank tops were oftentimes cropped and cut with experimental shapes. An orange iteration, in particular, left a chunk of chest on display above straight pants in a slightly darker hue. Button-downs, on the other hand, usually arrived oversized. A thick red design, flaunting a folded-up collar and all-over white lines, was layered above a long-sleeve knit and pants in a monochromatic manner.

Overall, the collection is contemporary in its appearance and rich in its story. For Taofeek, “Memories of Home” is deeply personal, but it’s meant for those who share parts of his experience. “This is for kids who look like me, kids who are part of the diaspora, kids who have multiple identities,” he said. “This is about the continual journey of discovering your identity.”

Take a look at Head of State’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection in the gallery above.

Elsewhere at New York Fashion Week, Thom Browne FW23 let quintessential American fashion tell an intergalactic story.