Fashion Artist, Onesimo Bam has launched his latest collection with his brand One I AM, titled ‘Progression 1’ –  this range is the fruitful result of deep collaborative exercise of inspiration among friends. The three artist collaborators and long-time colleagues and friends, ceramicist Andile Dyalvane, sculptural ceramicist Zizipho Poswa and painter Manyaku Mashilo, acted as inseparable influencers of the six garments, which are as sculptural as they are womb-like. 

Animating the capsule further, and creating a world for them to live in, the pieces were photographed by creative duo Armand Dicker and Ant Dane of Dicker & Dane and creative director Kassie Naidoo, with hair and makeup by Xola Makoba. About working on set together, Onesimo shares “Each person has a deep respect for the creative process and sees collaboration as a coming together of forces that birth something new into the world because they are willing and open to embracing the power of the collective.” 

Further to the notion of the collective, Onesimo shares that the inspiration behind his brand, One I AM, draws from his Eastern Cape upbringing, where he was raised by a community. He continues, “Working with people and having multiple influences and ideas just makes things stronger.”

The creative team echoes that sentiment, believing that this is the way forward for artists and creative visionaries – no one person can claim a work when many have contributed to it, with their collective creative force.

When we asked Onesimo more about his creative background he shared, “In 2017 I dropped out of studying fashion design and got this idea to make hand painted kimonos, assigning them to artist friends to tell their stories through their medium. We shot those with Lampost, which was the start of a long working relationship. Fashion Week picked up the kimonos, which led to showcasing them in four fashion week seasons. At the same time, styling was a side hustle, so while doing custom orders for clients like Andile, Zizipho and Manyaku, I didn’t want to be known as just a stylist. It was time to do something more with my brand, which is how this collection came about”. First studying jewellery design, followed by surface design (textile design) in college, Onesimo’s creative education across disciplines is visible in his collection, not to mention his experience in costume design for film as well as work in Art Direction.

When talking about collaborating with Andile, Zizipho and Manyaku, he explains “working together is like finishing each other’s sentences. Which really made me gravitate towards them. I met Andile when he asked me to make garments for his ‘Itongo’ show – he was looking for someone to collaborate with to make clothing that spoke to his ceramics.” It’s clear that that inspiration from clay and ceramics still rings true – one can notice the sculptural influence in Onesimo’s garment construction style. 

Further to that, there is a very clear womb-like theme to his pieces, about which he has to say, “I want my garments to make people feel like they’re returning somewhere safe. A shell-like thing, a cave, a womb.” Even though the mediums of clay and fabric are so different, there exists a similarity in the form of each, the ability to hold. This sense of safety is something we all look for, especially when trying to both express ourselves through clothing and feel physically and emotionally protected.

When discussing the indigo pigment and dye in one of Andile’s looks, Onesimo touches on the inspiration behind this: “For the third collection I made for SA Menswear I started experimenting with the colour blue, as opposed to previously working in black and subdued palettes. When I met Andile he was also obsessed with Indigo. The paint and colour just became such a recurring theme and it felt important to pay homage to that.”

There is a symbol of royalty associated with blue, similarly to the luxury of gold which has been used in the shoot as a thematic detail. “Manyaku uses gold in her paintings, so I included gold lining and gold thread detailing in her dress. I wanted to reference that by making her slightly abstracted with paint on her skin too.”

Ant and Armant photographed this collection on 35mm film, giving it a cinematic feel which adds to this luxurious and painterly ambiance. The juxtaposition of the silk brown frills, gold leaf details, gold jewellery with the rougher course ceramic backdrop is so effective. On Art Direction: “Initially we looked at a Tim Walker image, in a weird hazy space. I wanted to do something that spoke to this cave-like feeling, inserting someone into that space to makes them feel safe. We brought in a lot of surface design, ceramic crumbs, used ceramics pieces and scattered them around the set for texture.”

The six garments were very much inspired by each individual – “with Manyaku we wanted to play with drapery: the randomness, the unpredictability of a floating garment – a lot of room and volume. With Zizipho, the garments live in the same world, as if the garment stands on its own. Andile loves the pants I made for him because they have stature. He also loves a massive scarf, a shawl – that’s what he would wear to a ceremony and to his exhibitions. Representing him in a way that makes him confident and comfortable was so important to me.”

When asked what Onesimo would want people to feel when they wear his clothes, he reiterates earnestly, “Safety. But also, I like clothing that gives you a different vibe every time you wear it. It’s not restrictive. It can speak to all situations. These garments are all versatile depending on who they’re customised to, if you ordered a piece it would be tailor made to suit your body.”

He tells us more about the actual shoot day by expressing what made it special to him: “I’m so used to being on set and not having a say. But now I was styling, having made the garments and had the input from friends about how the image could look. I know a lot of people know me as a stylist not a designer, but I wanted to show what has been previously invisible – making visible my hands in the images is my way of showing that I work through my hands. The work exists now and I’m behind it.”

‘Progression 1’ is an ode to the multiplicity of each creative – not hiding behind your work but showing your hand in it – literally. For Onesimo, a Fashion Artist is the most fitting title – each garment is a piece of art, and the construction of them is art-making. And it’s been a long time in the making, having shot it in May 2024 – now it is birthed. Just as the title suggests, ‘Progression 1’ is part of an ongoing series, which means it is as open to evolution as the collaborating friends behind it.

Enquire about ‘Progression 1’ here

Credits

Creative Direction by Dicker & Dane, Kassie Naidoo & Onesimo Bam 

Photography by Dicker & Dane

Shot on location at Imiso Ceramics

Hair & Makeup by Xola Makoba 

Assistants: Lindani Khawunjika & Josè Pyladh

Written by Grace Crooks

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