There are times when we all feel so comfortable and familiar in a city it's hard to imagine unearthing anything unexpected. But, of course we know that life will never allow itself to be that predictable. The elements of the unknown and unseen are forever swirling around us. And this week they came knocking on my door. "It's unlike anything you have ever seen," read the text message from my friend. She was shopping at 'Spicy Green Mango' on street 278.
The shop interior is minimal and in retrospect I can understand why. All the action is hanging on the shelves. Rare is the occasion I find myself lost for words, as the loved ones in my life keep reminding me, but silent is what I was as I held up the first garment for closer inspection. Come to think of it, I remained silent even after returning it to its rightful place. These designs are- how shall I say- busy.
With more fabrics and prints than you can shake a stick at, I saw things that really took me to another place and time. If fashion minimalism is your thing you may feel like a vegetarian in an abattoir, this is not where wallflowers come to fill their wardrobes. And this must be the point. If you want sleek and chic then best you head to where sleek and chic shop, cause it ain't here. A sense of fun is what is required from these shoppers.
One skirt in particular left me feeling like I was solving a conundrum. It took me a while to decipher, and although I can't promise to do it justice, I'm going to give it my best shot. The skirt is knee length and made of denim, with red and white polka-dotted fabric rectangles in places. Around the waist of the skirt there is a band of fabric with orange and brown ants printed on it, and running down either side there are pieces of blue and white polka-dotted rectangles. On the blue polka-dotted rectangle there is another piece of white material with an illustration of an elephant on it. On each elephant there is a human face.
The shop houses a myriad of different items of clothing: full-length trousers, knickerbockers, shorts, mini's, knee-length skirts…t-shirts. Shoes are also given the 'Spicy Green Mango' treatment. From flat strappy Chinese-silk print sandals to other designs in the same material, variety is certainly not lacking here.
Wandering round the shop I wanted to come up with a single description of the overall style but every hanger inspired another influence. If pushed to put it all into one sentence: Alice-in-wonderland marries a cowboy and they live in a children's book. It's good to know that the unexpected could just be around the corner at any given time, and my friend's text message was spot on.
Spicy Green Mango:
Street 278, 4A