6 minute read
Choice Cuts
Fashion creative Diséiye Thompson talks custom clothing and cinematic ambitions. By Odessa Paloma Parker
Though Diséiye Thompson hasn’t been back to her native country of Nigeria in 11 years, this Toronto-based creative still feels a strong connection to her beginnings there. Nigeria isn’t only where her family has roots; it’s also where Thompson’s interest in design was piqued.
“Growing up, I was inspired by the women around me,” Thompson says of how the colourful, patterned traditional Nigerian attire fostered a love of fashion from an early age. “It was such a norm for us to get clothes custom-made for every special occasion, and for Christmas, we would get new clothing. So, it was ingrained in me — this desire for fashion, for custom clothing. And I’ve always known that I wanted to pursue this as a career.”
The path towards achieving that goal wasn’t entirely straightforward, though. According to Thompson, the aspiration to study fashion design wasn’t seen by the family as acceptable, and it wasn’t until >
OPPOSITE PAGE: The sunset-yellow kimono-style Hofo gown in silk taffeta is boldly cinched at the waist with a bow. Photo: Irem Harnak
she was studying law at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo that the creative pull became undeniable. Transferring to Ryerson University in Toronto, she started doing more fashion and arts courses and, after a certain period of time, she decided that “fashion was the thing for me.”
Going on to apprentice at the Greta Constantine studio of design duo Kirk Pickersgill and Stephen Wong and at bridal boutique Lea-Ann Belter, Thompson refined the craft of gala-worthy finery. In 2016, she launched the eponymous label Diséiye Thompson with a collection that embodies what she describes as an “exuberance of style.”
Fabrics, such as frothy tulle, and embellishments, like feathers and fringes, are trademarks of Thompson’s work, so it’s no wonder she has dressed the likes of rapper and TV series Hustle in Brooklyn cast member Azia Toussaint and R&B duo dvsn in noteworthy garb. Toussaint has been spotted in a lavish black-and-gold floral strapless gown by Thompson, as well as examples of the atelier’s vibrant tailoring-with-a-twist (think exaggerated silhouettes and colour blocking). And for the abolitionist, activist and storyteller Ravyn Wngz, Thompson designed a sumptuous full-sleeved dress complete with plunging neckline and a multihued paintbrush-stroke-patterned fabric.
Thompson also continues to be tapped to create bold, big day designs for weddings. Anyone who wants all eyes on them would immediately view Thompson as the go-to for sartorial statement–making. About onethird of the typical 15-plus custom clients the designer works for within a year are for wedding apparel.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be surrounded by a community that nurtures my growth and nurtures my creativity,” Thompson says of how word-of-mouth has developed the atelier’s clientele. “I get a lot of referrals from people that I’ve worked with in the past. And the people that come to me for [bridal] — they don’t come expecting the traditional idea of what a wedding dress should look like.”
Thompson’s custom practice includes “working with queer couples that have other ideas” when it comes to how they want to look for their nuptials. This means that wedding looks developed in the Diséiye studio have included neon pink and green suiting. “I love that the people who gravitate toward me already understand what I do — and the difference in what I do.”
Pointing to Lady Gaga as a pop-culture icon whose outré style helped introduce the atelier to the creations of era-defining designers — such as Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier and Yohji Yamamoto — Thompson notes that, as the Diséiye brand has evolved to meet different client needs, so too has the commitment to find the balance between staying true to the label’s dramatic, occasionally avant-garde leanings while creating sellable, indelible wares.
Thompson cultivates a larger creative network through styling and designing
BELOW: Diséiye Thompson (self-portrait). OPPOSITE PAGE (from left): Sassy ruffling on the blush neoprene Opo gown’s torso is stitched with micro Swarovski crystals. Photo: Nelson Huang. A string of pearls adorns the open back of this second-skin blush knit dress. Photo: Hrant Yeritskinyan. costumes for other, non-commercial endeavours. Early this year, for instance, she found herself making clothing pieces for the Toronto Dance Theatre — a project spearheaded by a previous custom client, artist and activist Rodney Diverlus. She is also a godmother for American designer Christian Siriano’s kiki house in Toronto — a role she revels in. It lets Thompson maintain her connection to the kiki scene, which provides LBGTQ youth a surrogatefamily network within the kiki ballroom culture of dance, runway and performanceart competitions.
“Being queer and moving to Canada, I automatically gravitated towards the Black, queer kids who were creating community for themselves through SOY,” Thompson says, referring to the Supporting Our Youth program at Sherbourne Health, which serves the diverse communities in southeast Toronto. “I joined the programs there and got the resources I needed. But I also got to meet all these wonderful people who introduced me to the ballroom scene. I’ve been part of that community for a few years now and it’s given me the opportunity to explore my creativity in different ways.”
One such creative direction has been about making pieces for dancers, like Danah Rosales, who wore a Thompsoncrafted bright red open-backed frock for an event where the designer partnered with Toronto boutique Brosche Bridal. Another of the label’s creations was the voluminous tiered tangerine gown — with outsized ruffled sleeves, of course — that flaunted Rosales’s baby bump for a maternity photoshoot.
The pandemic obviously presented challenges in terms of being physically present for fellow voguers, Thompson notes, via Zoom, from the light-filled minimalist space that’s also the designer’s home studio. But, in some ways, absence has made the heart grow fonder.
Keeping in touch through social media is maintained. “We have a lot of group chats…even if it’s just saying ‘Good morning’ [or] telling someone to have a good day. It’s just that connection that keeps us interested in each other’s lives and wanting to grow together.”
After all, growth, both personal and professional, is a key element of Thompson’s self-motivation. I ask, “If you could do anything in the future, what would that be?” The answer comes quickly, assuredly.
“I want to make a film,” Thompson says, eyes gleaming. “I’m very much inspired by the movies that Tom Ford has made, bringing fashion into film in different ways that are not just ‘fashion films’ for commercial [purposes]. And I’m finding my way into that space. The more I desire to do this, the more I think about it. I think it’s going to come into fruition.
