Talent exists, no doubt. But there’s something extraordinary that happens when talent and intelligence collide. It’s like a fire meeting wind; the result is almost always more powerful, more impactful. One of the most precious things to witness is a gifted fashion designer who is blessed with an instinctive understanding of design concepts and also knows how to strategically exploit the right fabrics to their advantage, such that their work is elevated.
You know, this isn’t even about being creative or innovative. It’s rather about the technical know-how of making the creativity work smarter. When panache meets genius, the artistry doesn’t just look good; it tells a story, solves a problem, and leaves a lasting impression.
No shading intended to be thrown, but only a few fashion designers possess this combination of traits. And one of the very new industry entrants, that’s already making waves, has shockingly displayed this attribute in its newly released 2025 collection. OpulenCe has stomped the yard with its Lustrous Dame 2025 Collection, smartly taking advantage of the satin fabric throughout the designs in this batch of releases.
If you are already swept off your feet by the brand’s sheer display of intelligence, rest first. Take a chill pill. Remember that it’s not by being smart alone… So, allow the experts to further examine the collection with their eagle eyes. Get in… we have some reviewing to do.
Well, it has already been spilled that the Satin fabric was employed throughout this collection. And it is such a brilliant choice. With this piece however, a navy-blue satin material is brilliantly and meticulously crafted into a gorgeously sweet short pencil dress. It is an armless body fit that perfectly engulfs the body of the model, accentuating their feminine features.
Its neckline is awesomely cut and stitched in such a way that it forms a drape, as if a loose scarf is thrown backwards around the wearer’s neck. Such a unique sense of style, an ever-trendy design. The dress is further adorned with some tiny dot-like white beads, scattered around the front view of the dress. This doesn’t only give the dress a more appealing look, it also introduces a sense of luxury as the beads glitter across the screen.
Besides the shining pearls, further details that enhance the beauty of this piece are the yellow embroidery attached to the lower part and around, reaching the back view. It is sewn in a wavy form and in two steps, making the outfit more appealing to the eyes. The embroidery has whiskers like hair strands that dangle in pieces, evoking a sense of style on the dress. The back view is as beautiful as the front. An inclusion of a long navy-blue zip is highly befitting and functional at the back of the dress.
However, here’s where the OpulenCe design team begin to disappoint: below par finishing. If you look loosely at the back view and the sewing pattern of the embroidery, it is not neatly hemmed. It has yellow threads pulling here and there. With more attention to detail, this could have been trimmed before being released. Perhaps the design team did their bit, but the quality control went on vacation to notice this.
Also, somehow, the team missed a slit. Like how? This is a pencil dress. Satin has no elastic content whatsoever. How then is the wearer supposed to walk freely, or in this part of the world, ride a bike in cases of emergency? It is clear that the team didn’t pay much attention to their customers’ comfort. And that’s not good enough and certainly unacceptable. But we believe that as far as the visionary founder, Patience Oduro, is still at the helm of things, these pointers will be taken note of and rapidly improved on.
That being said, we have a gorgeous dress here and OpulenCe has done a great job in conceptualising, and bringing the idea to life. It is simple, yet interestingly classy. A yellow blazer would undoubtedly enhance its look and make it a perfect outfit for professional gatherings and even spiritual outings.
Wakanda forever! Yes… that is the vibe that this next attire screams. Do you see it too? No, not the model’s hairstyle… Of course, the magnificent dress! All that’s left is for the model to be handed a staff or one of those long spears that the warriors of Wakanda carried around with them.
This design is simply cultural and vividly reflected. Kudos to the OpulenCe team for this stunning delivery. From the unique choice of Satin that is characterised by glossy surface, reflecting dazzling light and a texture that creates a luxurious sheen, to the artistic abracadabra that was done to turn it into this glorious floor length attire; Patience should be sewing costumes for the movie industry – will somebody please hand her a contract already? The choice of colour – burnt orange makes it even better. And this colour is mostly synonymous with Ghanaians. This is a strategic move by OpulenCe to attract its native people.
This armless dress features a high, round neckline. The torso of the dress is made fitted, such that it highlights the upper features of the wearer. From just above the waist, two layers of neatly pleated satin fabric are hemmed to the dress, forming short gathers. A slightly longer cut is stitched underneath the short two to make it three. The dress itself has an A-cut, flowing moderately in a free form with its folds beaming as light bounces on it. The back view of the dress is equally as elegant as the front. It seems the deeper we search this awesome collection, the better it gets.
However, another observation… It’s as if the fabric cutter didn’t get the right measurement at first. Then, upon realising it, they decided to do the ‘cut and join’ trick, which doesn’t speak well of the band. It makes the dress look untidy and unprofessional. The back view of the dress shows this more vividly. They thought we wouldn’t see. But we’ve got eagle eyes, remember? So, material management is a vital aspect of fashion design and should be given utmost attention.
But there is no doubt that this dress is gorgeous and runway worthy. Have you got that traditional event? This works perfectly. You are sure to stand out like the African Queen that you truly are, beaming through like the morning sun. It is an attire that shows just how much Patience’s brand serves as a custodian of Africa’s rich heritage, weaving together traditional ideas with contemporary aesthetics to create designs that are both bold and timeless.
This last piece is similar to the immediate previous attire. And had we seen this earlier, it would have befitted the first outfit of the Wakanda warriors. It’s a dress that strongly draws inspiration from the Ghanaian culture.
And the very first thing that draws attention to this is the turtle neck of this floor-length dress. Like the jewellery popularly worn by the Zulus, the satin fabric forms a cone that clings onto the neck of the wearer. This attire marries five shades of closely related colours like a hue. From dark brown to crimson, to burnt orange and its not-so-burnt counterpart. The long sleeves had different shades, with the left hand having a dark brown shade, while the right hand was crimson. The full body of the dress, from full length, is made with the burnt orange shade.
Interestingly, on both sides of the dress are attached flowing capes that further elevate the elegance of this beautiful work of art. Although the front view of the main body of the dress was crafted with a plain colour, the back view is split into vertical halves with two shades of colours.
the dress is lovely, undoubtedly elegant and a perfect fusion of the African fashion and contemporary design that seeks to elevate the confidence of every woman. It speaks power, screams class… more like the Ghanaian rich Aunty vibes. And we absolutely love it.
OpulenCe has shown excellence over the years since its inception in 2020. And with this awesome delivery, it’s obvious that the brand isn’t playing small and certainly has a bright future ahead of it. Generally, the Lustrous Dame collection is undoubtedly a success, and it displays the brand’s intention for the African culture – to be a voice for it on a global scale. Now we know that OpulenCe is more than a fashion brand. It is an intentional establishment that weaves fabrics into poetry and stitches traditions into poetry. It is a celebration of the African woman’s identity and a testament to authenticity that continually pays homage to the spirit of Africa.
