Ajanae Samuel is a recently graduating student from the University of East London who majored in fashion design.

Ajanae Samuel explores the past and the present with the intent to promote the questioning of our perception of the world around us.Approaching design as not only a tool for expression but for the creation of dialogue and discussion.She is motivated by both modernity and newness aspiring to create for the inquisitive and experimental person male or female.

Previously exploring themes of modernity and dystopian futures, her final BA collection ‘The Masquerade’ explores the theme of mockery.

Of Montserratian descent,Ajanae explored the roots of Montserrat’s masquerade dance, developed from the parodies and imitations performed by slaves of their slave owners. With this collection Ajanae intended to mock ‘smartwear’ to mock western notions of respectability and challenge our perception of what is acceptable as ‘smartwear.’

Her collections constantly entail the development of personal processes and methods with this particular collection doing so through the use of paper garments for silhouette development and performance art.

Using key elements from the masquerade costumes Ajanae explored various different techniques such as the deconstrution of graphic shapes, the use of unconventional materials, silhouette and proportion manipulation. Her collection also used mixed prints to explore freedom and informality to answer the question ; isn’t it the sweetest mockery to mock our enemies?