From the colorful Àdìrẹ indigo tie-dye to the natural techniques used to produce dazzling hues, Akinwale (Wale) Akinbiyi has been captivated by Yoruba culture from a young age. As a child, he would travel to his mother’s shops in Nigeria, where she sold women’s wear. These fond memories and his experiences growing up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, have continued to inspire him throughout his life, leading to his co-founding the concept fashion brand Riveriswild.
The brand constantly explores esoteric Blackness, looking for the seen and unseen threads of the African Diaspora. Each collection begins with a feeling or memory. “We come from completely different plains, and we connect these experiences,” Wale shares of the team’s collaboration in creating and designing new collections for Riveriswild.
Collaborating with Cheick Gueye from Côte d’Ivoire and co-founder Thomas Davis from Philadelphia, the creatives exchange moments from their past and present. When creating new collections, they use storytelling to uplift shared memories from how they were raised as Black people while acknowledging the diversity in their roots.
Wale recalls a deep family storytelling tradition: “Back in Nigeria, I remember my grandmother telling old folktales with candles and lanterns to keep the children entertained.”
Their newest collection, Rally, Rebirth, celebrates friendship and family. It is a metaphoric concept illuminating the back-and-forth of a table tennis ball in play with the dialogue of life. The constant movement pays off once someone wins or makes a mistake. The collection includes hats, sunglasses, and a set of button-up shirts with checkered block prints, stenciled patterns, and Riveriswild graphic designs.
The Riveriswild team faced its fair share of challenges last year, but through this collection, they regrouped, had conversations, and took space to create anew. Rally, Rebirth represents a fresh start, creating the freedom to explore positive or negative emotions on any playing field.
Whatever people go through, good or bad, sometimes the back-and-forth seems never-ending. On the other side is the chance to start anew, and the Riveriswild Rally, Rebirth Collection is a powerful reminder of that message. You can find the collection online at RiverisWild.com and on Instagram @riveriswild.
