SELASI AW25 Collection30 Images
After a blistering early-July heatwave, London’s back to business as usual, with the skies turning back a dismal shade of grey and pissing it down at any given opportunity. Good news is that the sun is set to make a comeback for the last week of the month, which is timely given that’s exactly when Ronan Mckenzie takes over cult Soho store Tenderbooks with a pop-up that celebrates ‘Summer Inspiration’.
The multidisciplinary artist, who dips her toes into photography, fashion design, journalism and more depending on what feels right to her at any given moment, will take up residence to launch the latest issue of SELASI Stories. The publication is an offshoot of her SELASI clothing label, and offers her a chance to explore her influences across its printed pages. Across all disciplines, Mckenzie’s work is intimate and personal – in a world that’s dominated by digital media and the endless doomscroll, SELASI Stories is an invitation to slow down and take in something tangible.
Beyond copies of Issue 004 of the paper, there will also be the opportunity to pick up core pieces from SELASI, ranging from super-soft baby tees, to the perfect tank top, to signature leather jackets. And to round it all off, Mckenzie has curated a small edit of her must-read books, and will be offering up small flower arrangements on the night. Here, she fills us in on what to expect on July 31.
Hey Ronan! First of all, what is SELASI Stories all about?
Ronan Mckenzie: SELASI Stories is a printed newspaper that gives further insight into SELASI’s brand world; be that delving further into the thinking process behind collections or pieces, inspirations, techniques, activations or more, it’s an opportunity for me to connect with others offline in a tangible and collectible way.
The first issue was an introduction to SELASI so far through presenting archive imagery from 2021-2024, the second explored my draping practice, the third showed the AW25 collection. My hope is that it continues to grow and build into a place for commissioned stories, written pieces, and storytelling for complimentary artists and labels.
What’s inside this one?
Ronan Mckenzie: Issue 004 is about summer inspiration. I went to spend time with two women who are of continued inspiration to me – Miminat Shodeinde and Srirat Jongsanguandi – at their studios, to get further insight into their approach to their work, how it makes them feel, and what summer means to them.
Tell me about the curation of clothes – what’s the collection about?
Ronan Mckenzie: The pieces that you’ll see at Tenderbooks are a curation of SELASI classics, including the asymmetric hem Baby Tee and Rib Tank which will be available to take home. You’ll also find signature Black Rock Jackets, including the new Black Rock Trench Coat which can be pre-ordered for winter, alongside some AW25 styles, and other shapes which have been part of SELASI’s story since the beginning, like the Baggy Pants, which are now in a luxurious wax cotton that will age like the softest leather.
The AW25 collection was ways a return to self and a return to the original place that SELASI came from within my heart and practice, so this will be an opportunity to share that with everyone. There will be a selection of flowers available which speak to the colours of the collection.
What’s your must-have or most-worn piece from the offering?
Ronan Mckenzie: I’ve absolutely been rinsing the Rib Tank this summer, I love how simple it is, but the quality of the cotton is beautiful, even more so once it’s been washed and worn in a little. However, my all-time most worn is probably the We Love Barbados Leather Jacket or the Baggy Pants. They’re my staples, for the shape, fabric drops, and details which hold the richness of their intentions.
Why are you taking over Tenderbooks specifically?
Ronan Mckenzie: SELASI for me is so much more than clothes – it represents an exploration into a lifestyle that continually not only represents me but a continually expanding stylised world. I love showing SELASI in spaces that nod to the lifestyle around it or what’s important to me and my foundations.
When I was a kid, my siblings and I spent so much time in Hammicks bookshop in Walthamstow Market. My mum has always loved reading, and my dad brought our books to life through fantastical voices and theatrical performances of them. The first art book I ever bought was by Liz Johnson Artur, and it still stands in my studio today. Books, their sense of tactility, their covers, paper-stocks and design, are sources of information and inspiration to me, so in the theme of Summer Inspiration, I’m super excited to be bringing SELASI into such a beautiful bookshop.
As well as curating a selection of books from Tenderbooks, I’ve also made a special limited edition SELASI bookmark which will be available.
What books have you chosen as part of the curation?
What’s your favourite beach read?
Ronan Mckenzie: Satyajit Ray, Twenty Five Films, The Journey of Things (third printing), Magdalene Odundo, Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal.
What’s your favourite beach read?
Ronan Mckenzie: Earlier this year I went to Salvador, Brazil, and on the beach I read Alayo Akinkube’s new book Reframing Blackness.
How are you spending your summer?
Ronan Mckenzie: I feel like there were quite a few years where summer ran by a little too quickly; and since last year I’ve been making a proper active effort to make sure I enjoy my summer; filling them with new experiences, spending lots of time outside, letting hours drift with friends and family, or just discovering new places to explore. A few weeks ago I held my annual sports day, spending the day running around doing egg and spoon races, playing rounders, a three-legged race, and dishing out baby trophies. I’m currently in Borgo Valsugana in the North of Italy hosting a group artist residency at Casa Carlotta which is nine days filled with creative workshops and play. I’m also developing some exciting new products for SELASI which will be ready toward the end of summer; I want to make sure that I can account for my time, and can look back at it when it’s freezing cold and be warmed by the memories.
What’s your favourite thing to do in London over the summer when the weather’s good?
Ronan Mckenzie: Enjoy our beautiful parks.
What’s your song of the summer this year?
Ronan Mckenzie: “CHURCH GIRL” by Beyoncé.
