Miami & London Inspired Collection Speaks to a Culture
Updated: Mar 28, 2023
Ricardo London is a collaborative effort between London trained fashion designer Evrice Cornelius and social activist Antonio Ricardo. The debut 2023 capsule collection takes inspiration from socio-political issues surrounding the Black community, with interpretive cuts, embellishments and statement phrases meant to provoke new and progressive ideas about an often misunderstood history.
Deliberately casual, though meticulously designed and embellished, Ricardo London’s capsule collection features wide cut T-shirts, body framing hoodies and next level bomber jackets with premium cuts and fabrics that express style and authentic culture.
We caught up with Ricardo London designers Antonio Ricardo and Evrice Cornelius to break it all down.
Evrice, you live in South Florida. Did you drawn any Miami inspiration when designing this capsule collection for Ricardo London?
Evrice Cornelius: Being in Miami, you cannot help but to draw inspiration, although you don’t see too many bomber jackets down here. The idea was to infuse my tailored aesthetic with an everyday item such as the seatbelt. Fusing two different materials and making them work well together is similar to life in Miami. We have many different cultures fused together in this city, and to me, that's the most beautiful inspiration to draw from.
Antonio, this collection was conceived by you and designed for a specific demographic; young, urban people of color. Do you plan to expand your market with your follow-up collection?
Antonio Ricardo: Yes. It was always part of the initial plan to expand broader than what we initially launched with.
There’s an element of activism in this collection. How has that gone over with consumers?
Antonio Ricardo: For those for which this capsule collection was specifically targeted, it has been well received and has been praised as bold and thought provoking, which was our desired objective.
The collection is unisex. On women, the T-shirts, hoodies and bomber jackets all have that “boyfriend” fit. Were you going for a Tomboy aesthetic for women?
Antonio Ricardo: You nailed it. Women look great in their boyfriend's clothes, so I thought it would be really cool to have the garment be unisex.
And Evrice, you were trained as a fashion designer in London. How did that influence this collection? And does that have something to do with the name Ricardo London?
Evrice Cornelius: Knowing how to navigate apparel development has made it easier for the collaboration to happen, as well as the ability to bring a concept to life. Starting out in London and ending up here in Miami has allowed me to merge the appeal of tailored garments within a tropical environment. This has always been my artistic visual foundation. Being in London was completely separate to the Name of Ricardo London. Since our back story is quite similar, I believe the love of the city as a fashion capital was the inevitability of our working together.
Antonio, the T-shirts with phrases including, Stayin’ Alive is the New Hustle, Loyal to the Blaxk Man and Loyal to the Blaxk Woman were your brainchild. Tell me about that…
Antonio Ricardo: I just really wanted to do something that spoke loudly to the Black community. The phrases may be provocative to some, but it's all about the underlying unity of the phrases and not division.
Do you see this capsule collection being evergreen, or do you feel it has a moment in time, and why?
Antonio Ricardo: This capsule was catered for the moment in time we are living in. It's a proven fact that the times are changing, and for many, the changes are not for the better. We really have to be conscious as a people every time we step out our front door, because we never know when it may be our last.
Tell me about how Ricardo London’s Bomber Jacket was designed and constructed.
Evrice Cornelius: The jacket was designed as soft armor. The belting that is used was constructed in a way that when it's adjusted, it tends to collapse and cinch the body. This makes the aesthetic very versatile as the wearer can style it either buckled or unbuckled. While the chenille patches throughout gives you that bold graphical appearance, the main focal point is the ability to intertwine and reinvent a fashion staple. We created the bomber jacket as an art piece that can visually carry our brand DNA into future capsules.
Let’s talk T-shirts and hoodies. What makes Ricardo London’s fit, material and look unique?
Antonio Ricardo: First off, we use only the highest quality imported materials to produce our garments, and what makes our product, specifically this capsule, unique are the bold and in-your-face phrases that will have people doing a double take when passing by.
And you are donating 5% of your profits to various HBCUs? How will those profits be allocated?
Antonio Ricardo: We will have a fund set up where the proceeds from every fiscal quarter will be deposited and will be distributed annually and equally amongst all 107 HBCUs. This is a long-term objective for Ricardo London.
Where can people purchase pieces from Ricardo London’s debut capsule collection?
Antonio Ricardo: For those interested in our collection, they can check us out at www.ricardolondon.com.