Words: Mr. Brown
Photography: Ackime Snow
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I sometimes sit back and wonder how selfish I was in keeping all of these great relationships and talent that we were surrounded by to ourselves. The village was something we talked about but never recorded. Now with the introduction of the BKc Culture platform, we are able to share, introduce, and reconnect with long lost creatives/villagers from near and far.
I met sisters Darlene and Lizzy through friends, and collaborators Josh Kissi and Travis Gumbs of Street Etiquette. They were very early in embracing the retail environment as an extension to the personal stories they were sharing through the beautiful clothes they were producing in small batches. Clothing sold to a very selective group of shoppers who would venture into the South Street Seaport to shop the William Okpo boutique experience. Individuals who ultimately understood the visual language and passion poured into each garment. We had the chance to reconnect with the Okpo sisters and share their most recent collection, the future of Willam Okpo, and celebrating 10 years of entrepreneurship and expression through self exploration.
William Okpo is a women's wear collection designed by sisters Darlene and Lizzy Okpo. A nurtured love for fashion and creativity brought about the birth of their collection, which is named after their father.
The William Okpo line is inspired by the parents of the Okpo sisters. Daughters of Nigerian immigrants, Darlene and Lizzy were motivated by the interplay of their parents' personal style with American culture.
With William Okpo, the Okpo sisters wish to illustrate the unique aesthetic that results from the juxtaposition of the immigrant's sense of style against American cultural sensibilities, offering the modern feminine designs with touches of masculine elements. William Okpo is for women who celebrate their cultivated sense of style.
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