Juma makes its presence known at NYFW with shocking technicolour tunics for the adventurous traveller

By Frances McInnis | February 14, 2012

By Frances McInnis | 02/14/2012

Sure we were disappointed when rising Toronto brand Juma opted to show at New York Fashion Week instead of Toronto, but Jamil and Alia Juma’s saturated colours for Fall/Winter 2012 go some way towards consoling us. A futuristic tunic in turquoise and fuchsia? Yes please! A fluttering dress featuring a Rorschach-like ink blot? Don’t mind if we do! Throw it all together with heavy “get out of my way” boots, and you’re giving us goosebumps. Check out Juma’s 14 looks for both men and women in our gallery after the jump.

The bright prints were keeping with the world-traveller aesthetic we’ve seen from this brother-sister pair in previous shows (the designers themselves move between Toronto, New York and various cities in China). That traveller aesthetic, however, was at times pushed too far, with a few pieces reminding us of hippie-backpacker types we’ve met on vacations past. We also—as with previous Juma collections—wondered a bit about the wearability of the menswear (what kind of man sports this look, for instance?). The flowing fabrics and lively colours did better when contrasted with sharp tailoring and somber grays and black, as in a pair of extremely wearable button-front dresses. We’d say they’re just about right for your everyday jetsetter.