The Dutch subversive label looks at the fearsome clitoris of female hyenas, violent sex with snails, and other animal courtship rituals for the Seduce Me AW21 collection.
Ninamuna Langestraat and Robin Burgraaf are obsessed with the art of seduction. So when you’re not making movies that capture the stresses of teen sexual awakening or sending cowboys in the saddle for track-wearers, the Amsterdam duo behind Ninamuna weaves latex-lined upholstery into simple sweaters and complete squat collections.
But don’t think that with all those perverts, that charm is something they wear up their sleeves – half the time, you’ll be blinking and missing that subtle, destructive glint because the devil is in the details.
Her latest collection, which debuted at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year as part of the AW21 season, has more to it than, if you know, moments. While fans with the eagle eye label of an esoteric but genuinely inviting label tend to watch what Langstraat calls “fleas,” those less familiar with Ninamouna’s erotically charged universe seem to be in two.
At first glance, this new season features several house signs, including sharp raincoats, pencil skirts, broad shoulders, and leather jackets made of leather blouses. But if you look closely, something happens – in the truest sense of the word.
“We thought about seduction aggression,” Langestraat said, explaining the inspiration behind the AW21 collection. “Most of the exhibits are inspired by the aggressive female striped hyena with a huge half-meter clitoris which is often mistaken for a penis.”
Stop filming the show at the right time when the model is at the right angle, and you might see one of these hyena-inspired clients sticking out of their thighs. The label “pseudo penis” affixes to satin garments and pleated ropes on which they sit or protrudes from the seams of velvet trousers, turning the garments into tent-like structures that address the fundamental complexities of female sexuality.
“You have this real power and dominance, but there’s also a sense of misunderstanding,” the designer added. You come out and think: did I see it? Now that the collection lands at LNCC, we meet Langstraat and Burggraaf as they deepen the inspiration behind the group, the strange effect of isolation on the seduction and violent sex of snails (yes, actually).