PARK Magazine

It was about how the light penetrated through
the large floor to ceiling windows in the grand
suite of the Park Lane hotel. It was about how
the light hitting the elaborate gilded mirrors
that lined the walls of the suite, and how the
light reflected on the glistening chandeliers.
This was the glow that set the scene for the
uber elegant installation of SUKEINA spring/
summer 2022 fashion collection. But the rays of
lumination were no match for the Sukeina line
designed and created by OMAR SALAM, who
explained that Sukeina is the name of his birth
mother which means “bright light.”
The secret is out
Omar expressed pride in his new collection, he
officially launched his first line of clothing in 2012
with a stellar show staged in the marble lobby of the
Four Seasons hotel in mid-Manhattan. Over the
years, his trajectory has been like a hot secret among
industry insiders, as the “it” factor was quite obvious.
Now, Omar Salam is about to take his rightful place
among the upper echelons of international fashion.
The secret is finally out as this designer has proved
that his talent has all the ingredients of what legends
are made of.
Fashion glitteratti spreading the word
Judging from the fashion luminaries who graced
that grand suite, overlooking New York’s Central
Park at the beginning of New York Fashion Week, the
word is out, and Omar, a newly minted member of
the CFDA is up for the challenge. Several Vogue
editors including Virgina Smith, Chioma Nnandi
and Nicole Phelps were present. Linda Fargo and her
team from Bergdorfs attended. CFDAs Steve Kolb,
Ashoke Abalu, Bethann Hardison, jazz great Ron
Carter and his fashionable wife Quintel Carter were
among the dozens of glitteratti spreading the word.
Omar, the gracious host that he is, personally walked
each of his guests through the collection. Reviews
came fast and favorable, so much so that Anna
Wintour hand picked one of Omar’s dresses to be
worn by Olympic gymnast Sunisa Lee, one of her
special guests at the MET Gala.
A clash of color & fabric
“My inspiration for the collection came from the
Bantu tribe who live on the outskirts of Africa,” Omar
revealed from his 33rd floor atelier, high atop the
Barclay Center. “They have very little. What I thought
was interesting is that they don’t have a signature
cloth. What they do is piece together bits and pieces
of material and items that may have been discarded
and put them all together to make the most beautiful
fashion.” Omar mixed different types of lace, net,
chiffon, jersey knit, feathers, fringe, velvet strips,
buttons and crystal jewels for his eclectic creations.
He showed severe pencil trousers in sheer fabric,
sharp black “onesuits” and delicate jersey pieces all
in a burst of vivid color. Drop waist dresses festooned
with flirty pleats, feather embellishments and a red,
navy, yellow and black cocktail dress with a sheer
back were among his many showstoppers.
Hue
Omar continued: “I named the collection ‘HUE’
which stems from a place of different colors. A
painter uses color hues, which I see as short for
humanity. So, humanity should be a mix of different
colors. Being able to include all hues, the humanity
of all people, it was very natural to build a story
around the people in my life. Fabric is made of
people of all races, color, ages - there is no discrimination.
It’s about not excluding anyone for what they are
not.” Omar continued; “For me, it’s not about where
you come from, it comes down to who the essence of
the person is. I relate that to my collection. I am
protective of each hue, because only then is the
picture of humanity full. Only then, it’s complete. If
one color is missing the picture can’t be complete.”
From whence he came
omar Salam was born in Dakar, Senegal and studied
screenwriting at Old Dominion University in
Paris before heading to Parsons School of Design. He
spent seven years working with designer Sonia
Rykiel and became Visual Director for her New York
store. Omar also spent two years working with
another French house, designer Christian Lacroix
before launching his own label Sukeina in 2012.
Omar is a true storyteller. He takes pride in offering a
cohesive narrative with each collection. He admitted
that his future is bright as he continues to experiment
with shapes, his clothes hint at multiple manifestations
of self. P
sukeina.com
‘‘ BEING ABLE
TO INCLUDE
ALL HUES, THE
HUMANITY OF
ALL PEOPLE,
IT WAS VERY
NATURAL TO
BUILD A STORY
AROUND THE
PEOPLE IN
MY LIFE. ’’