L’Enchanteur’s Dynasty and Soull Ogun, Winners of the 2024 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

Summary

Podcast Summary: "L’Enchanteur’s Dynasty and Soull Ogun, Winners of the 2024 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund"

Introduction

In the October 22, 2024 episode of The Run-Through with Vogue, hosts Nicole Phelps and Mark Holgate engage in an insightful conversation with Dynasty and Sol Ogun, the dynamic duo behind the acclaimed fashion label L’Enchanteur. As the recipients of the prestigious 2024 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, Dynasty and Sol share their journey, creative philosophies, and visions for the future of their brand. The episode delves deep into their inspirations, the challenges they overcame, and the cultural influences that shape their unique designs.

Winning the 2024 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund

The episode opens with the hosts congratulating Dynasty and Sol on their remarkable achievement. Dynasty reflects on their victory, expressing a blend of confidence and humility:

“I think throughout the process, there was a lot of affirming things that allowed us to be like, oh, okay, maybe we might win this... we were settled in our confidence of what we were doing” ([01:48] Dynasty Ogun).

Despite recognizing the strengths of their peers, the Ogun sisters remained focused on their journey, which ultimately led to their success. They recount the suspense of the award night, humorously noting their seating in the "blood nose section" but choosing to focus on the affirmation of being true to themselves.

Founding L’Enchanteur: A Journey of Family and Culture

Dynasty and Sol delve into the origins of L’Enchanteur, highlighting the importance of family and cultural heritage in their entrepreneurial journey. Sol shares the genesis of their collaboration:

“Sol and I had separate brands that we wanted to cultivate... I knew what I wanna do with my life. She was like, what? I was like, I'm gonna, like, design clothes” ([03:44] Sol Ogun).

Their partnership was solidified through shared creative impulses and mutual support. The name "L’Enchanteur" is a tribute to their mother and a playful nod to their first-generation New York upbringing, reflecting the blend of their Caribbean heritage and American aspirations.

Design Philosophy and Creative Process

Described as "autodidactic artisans," Dynasty and Sol emphasize their self-taught approach to fashion design. They attribute their skills to a creative household and a commitment to learning through adversity:

“We grew up in this household of artistic beings... a lot of self teaching... learning through that” ([07:42] Sol Ogun).

Their design process is deeply intertwined with metaphysical concepts like astrology and tarot, seamlessly integrating mysticism into their work. During their New York Fashion Week presentation, a tarot card reader added a spiritual dimension to their immersive showcase, underscoring how these elements influence their aesthetic and storytelling.

“We utilize that in our everyday waking... it became something as an afterthought in the way in which we showcase our work” ([18:15] Sol Ogun).

Community and Cultural Influence of Flatbush

Flatbush, Brooklyn, is portrayed as a pivotal influence on the Ogun sisters' identity and design ethos. They describe Flatbush as a melting pot of first-generation experiences, steeped in unique cultural expressions that permeate their work:

“Flatbush is our home... gives a unique identity to someone who's growing up there” ([13:15] Sol Ogun).

Their connection to the community is evident in their collaborative events and creative spaces, fostering a sense of belonging and cultural pride.

Inclusion in the Costume Institute's "Super Fine Tailoring Black Style"

A significant highlight of the episode is the Ogun sisters' inclusion in the Costume Institute's landmark exhibition, "Super Fine Tailoring Black Style." They discuss the pieces featured in the exhibition and the honor of being part of such a prestigious showcase:

“We feel elated. We feel honored... it's 20 years in the making” ([31:45] Sol Ogun).

The featured pieces, including the namespell necklace and Kalinago medallion, are deeply personal, reflecting their heritage and honoring their mother's legacy. These creations bridge historical craftsmanship with contemporary design, embodying the essence of Black Style in fine tailoring.

Advice for Future Aspiring Designers

Dynasty and Sol offer heartfelt advice to aspiring designers eyeing the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund. They emphasize the importance of preparedness, financial acumen, and confidence:

“Having your ducks in a row, having your... finances... understanding the ins and outs of business” ([23:41] Dynasty Ogun).

They highlight that success extends beyond creative prowess, advocating for a balanced approach that includes robust business strategies and sustainable practices. Building confidence through continuous learning and embracing vulnerability are pivotal in navigating the competitive fashion landscape.

Conclusion

The episode concludes with Dynasty and Sol expressing gratitude for their recognition and the opportunity to share their story. Their journey exemplifies the harmonious blend of artistic passion, cultural heritage, and strategic business acumen. As winners of the 2024 CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund and contributors to the Costume Institute's revered exhibition, L’Enchanteur stands as a testament to the power of authenticity and community in the fashion industry.

Notable Quotes

• Dynasty Ogun: “We were settled in our confidence of what we were doing” ([01:48]).
• Sol Ogun: “We utilize that in our everyday waking... it became something as an afterthought in the way in which we showcase our work” ([18:15]).
• Mark Holgate: “It does require a moment of just being... there's strength and power in vulnerability” ([22:41]).

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Run-Through with Vogue provides an inspiring glimpse into the Ogun sisters' journey, celebrating their achievements and offering valuable insights for the fashion community. Their story underscores the significance of cultural roots, continuous learning, and community engagement in shaping a successful and impactful brand.

Transcript

[Nomi Frye]

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[Nicole Phelps]

This is the run through. I'm Nicole Phelps.

[Mark Holgate]

And I'm Mark Holgate.

[Nicole Phelps]

Today on the show, we're talking with Dynasty and Sol Ogun of L'Enchanteur.

[Mark Holgate]

Our winners of the 2024 CFTA Vogue Fashion Fund, which happened on Wednesday evening.

[Nicole Phelps]

After many months of challenges and events and getting to know all of the finalists. And it was a great year, right?

[Mark Holgate]

It was a terrific year and a really terrific group of finalists in our 20th year of the CFTA Vogue Fashion Fund.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes. It's such a treat to be back on the jury and we missed you.

[Sol Ogun]

Yes.

[Nicole Phelps]

And to get to know a whole new group of designers, I was really thrilled to be part of it. Thank you. Here is our conversation. Dynasty in Seoul. Thank you so much for joining us on the run through podcast.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Thank you.

[Sol Ogun]

Thank you.

[Nicole Phelps]

I'm gonna jump right in. On Wednesday night, you received the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund first prize. And it was a great night and it's a huge accomplishment. And we wanna know, Mark and I wanna know, how did you feel about winning and did you think you would win?

[Dynasty Ogun]

Well, I think throughout the process, there was a lot of affirming things that allowed us to be like, oh, okay, maybe we might win this, because it was just going along with what we had been doing. However, there were times when I did think of some of our other peers and I thought, like, they had strong things going on, but we still was settled in our confidence of what we were doing at the same time. So it's basically like appreciating that they had strengths, but it was just like we were just focused on what our journey was. It wasn't really taking us off so much. I will say, funny enough, what was funny is when we sat down, we were like, wow, we're like in the blood nose section.

[Sol Ogun]

I definitely said that. I said, because we thought it was.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Funny because we were like, you know, like, it was just little things that you try not to pay attention to, but it was just we were, like, getting served last for food. We were kind of sitting where, like, they would be bumping you when they're coming out the kitchen.

[Sol Ogun]

I said this. So I was like, so we're in the blood nose section. You don't need to worry about that. I was like.

[Dynasty Ogun]

I said, don't focus on that. Do not focus on that. That doesn't mean anything. And then I looked around, I'm like. So I thought that was kind of funny. But then I also thought, like, oh, maybe it makes sense. Maybe it's like, okay, we're not gonna just fully let y'all know if you want or not. Like, you. We're gonna keep guessing until we announce the name. Like, but there was always, like, the echo of, you know, I think at some point I asked Tom. I was like, how do we win? Like, how. And I think I asked that to Nicole. I was just like, what do we do? And it was always affirming, like, keep being you. Keep being yourself.

[Mark Holgate]

So you mentioned Journey, so I'd love to go right back to actually pre Launch on Tour. I'd love to know a little bit of your history, what you were both doing before you founded Launch on Tour and why you founded the label. What inspired you to do that?

[Sol Ogun]

Well, Sol and I had separate brands that we wanted to cultivate. And you could even go back before the movie, before that, like, someone else rapping. Oh, and so was rapping, but so was making music. And she wanted to get into the music industry, and I was her hype man woman. And I've already had my brand settled or the idea of what I was gonna do with clothing. And I called Sol one day, and I was like, I know what I wanna do with my life. She was like, what? I was like, I'm gonna, like, design clothes. And then Sol was like, oh, my God, what am I gonna do with my life? Was designing bags or just designing, and then it was going into bags. And then when we had our first show, Sol helped with the. What do you call it? The souvenirs. The souvenirs and the gift bags. And it's something that's really known in, let's say, the West Indian community. You always give a gift or you give something back as you're having your event. And Sol made these amazing masks. And then as she was doing it, she was like, oh, well, I think I want to pursue this further. And I was like, all right, dope. I'm going to continue to pursue what I'm doing. And then, you know, I guess Dynasty.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Was definitely designing for a while.

[Sol Ogun]

Yeah. I was like, I'm going to stick.

[Dynasty Ogun]

I was trying to figure it out.

[Sol Ogun]

Exactly. And I was like, I'm going to stick to this. I'm going to just pursue it heavily. And then Sol, she wanted to add her story to it, which I thought was beautiful. And then we wanted to join forces and see what that looked like for us. And then as we continued to explore that, we were approached by someone out in Berlin who was like, hey, I love your work. I love what you guys are doing. And he seen some genes on an artist that we were working with. And I was like, oh, my God. My sister and I just. We just launched. Launched our brand together, and we hadn't. And I called. So, like, we need to launch our brand and we need to come up with a name now and then. So I was like, all right, let's do something that cultivates all of us all together. And then we came up with Le Chantel. And Le Chante was an ode to our mother. And it was also, like, making fun of the fact it was making fun of her a little bit more of the fact that as first generation New Yorkers, our parents wanted to give us that American dream. And they didn't necessarily. Yeah, they wanted to assimilate. And they didn't speak their languages to us. They spoke only English. And Sol and I was like, oh, this is, like, perfect. You know, mommy's gonna be so, like, tight about this. And as we decided to bring the brand together, we wanted it to highlight the fact that we were first generation, the fact that both of our parents spoke a different language in the fact that we spoke English and what that looked like to us.

[Nicole Phelps]

Okay, we're going to take a quick break.

[Nomi Frye]

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[Nicole Phelps]

So you've called yourselves autodidactic artisans, I think. And I think that means that you're self taught, right?

[Sol Ogun]

Does it mean that?

[Nicole Phelps]

I think that's what it means to.

[Sol Ogun]

Sit up the other day.

[Dynasty Ogun]

It does. I definitely love that word.

[Sol Ogun]

I do, too.

[Nicole Phelps]

So how did you teach yourselves how to be these incredible designers?

[Dynasty Ogun]

We grew up in this household of artistic beings and artistic people. Our mother was an artistic designer and creator herself. Our older sister Katherine was a creative herself. Our brothers was into, you know, graffiti art and things like that. And we had a lot of self teaching. And also I think using the quote unquote adversity of lack allowed us to create a lot in the house. So, you know, we really wanted to be a wheel of fortune. So what we did was turn over a bicycle and spin the wheel and we're like, wheel of fortune. Right. So it was a lot of that happening in the house of like teaching yourself how to have fun. So, you know, that that came along with teaching ourselves how to create because also comes from quote unquote lack. For example, when I wanted to study jewelry making, I went and researched schools. And I think the schools were about 35, $40,000. And I'm like, what? And then, you know, that allowed some openness that I found a bunch of books that were about, you know, metalsmithing and metalworking. And then that also then aligned me with this artist who had a studio. And then I went into his studio, Hugo McLeod. I went to his studio and then worked similar with Dynasty Dynast, making a lot of clothes that we were wearing in like the club scene, you know, so we were just making, making, making, making. And we took a lot of the way that our mother would just make our clothes for like graduation pictures and like, you know, events or things like that. And we read a lot of books. Like, our dad was, I would say, kind of the opposite of our mom in terms of a very scientific, science, knowledge attaining kind of person.

[Sol Ogun]

I would also add on into the way that they discovered knowledge and the way that they discovered knowledge was separate, was different. Our dad, he discovered it through books and reading in course and discourse. And our mother would. She would find that way through physically trial and error, trial and error, trial.

[Dynasty Ogun]

And error, essentially through learning through that. So I think the autodidactic aspect came because we were put in a position or brought up in a household where reading was fundamental.

[Mark Holgate]

Well, it's interesting because when we saw your design challenge, I was actually blown away by the amount of research you had put into that look. You know, when you were mentioning the architect from. Yeah, it was kind of incredible. I mean, that's.

[Sol Ogun]

And his actual birthday. The day that. The day that we actually had the show. His. The challenge.

[Dynasty Ogun]

The challenge.

[Sol Ogun]

Oh, I'm saying it's a show, but I mean, it was a show. It was a show for everyone. But the challenge, that date was an anniversary of his passing. So it came all through. It came all together. He was like, well, we had no.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Idea when we were still.

[Sol Ogun]

We didn't. We didn't have any idea. We didn't have any idea?

[Nicole Phelps]

So the challenge, just so everyone knows it was stripes and stars. Tommy Hilfiger sponsored this design challenge for all of the finalists and give us a synopsis of what the look was.

[Sol Ogun]

When we chose our muse, which was Joey Badass. Joey is like, we've been working with him for a minute, and we were like, joey's from Brooklyn, like us. He's younger than us, but he's from the same neighborhood, and he's 10 years younger than us, but he grew up in the same community that we grew up in, so we wanted to showcase that.

[Dynasty Ogun]

So when they said stripes and stars, I think immediately Dynasty and I turned to each other. Each other, like, how can we create stripes and stars? And think of it less of the immediate thought of, like, stripes and stars, which to me would be like, whether it's a flag or it's just a bunch of stripes, we were thinking, like, galactically. I think we said that we were thinking, absolutely. How can we galactically connect a stripe and a star? And I think what came up to us was constellations, because in order to make a constellation, you need stripes, AKA lines and stars. And that is the first level of how that came up. Then we were thinking of what, like, can we think of an astrologer or somebody that works with, you know, astronomy or an astronomer? And when we. It kind of popped up right away for us. Benjamin Banneker, because we specifically was looking for something that also connected to Americana, but in this other way that I think a lot of people don't actually think about first and foremost. And we did want to highlight a black astronomer, right? So we wanted to bring that into fruition. And then what was beautiful is that when Dynasty saw some of the images, you thought, like, that would. Like, when. When Dynasty thought about, like, leather denim, then we thought, like, what's the lining going to be? Because you have to line leather. And we were like, it has to be something really special also. And bringing who the initial muse was, who was Benjamin Dynasty was like, she would draw the image that would be on the silk that we would line the denim with. And that was just a beautiful. It just really flowed.

[Mark Holgate]

I want to ask you, because you mentioned Joey grew up in the same neighborhood, which I think is Flatbush, right? You all grew up in Flatbush. Baby, can you talk to me a little bit about that and kind of. What about Flatbush?

[Sol Ogun]

I was talking to you a whole bunch about Flatbush.

[Mark Holgate]

Has it been influential to you?

[Sol Ogun]

I mean, Flatbush is very influential to us. I think Flatbush is It's our home. And a lot of people from Flatbush are first generational. And I think that Flatbush, it gives a unique identity to someone who's growing up there. And the way that we talk, the way that we eat food, the way that we introduce ourselves is very unique and specific to that neighborhood in Brooklyn.

[Mark Holgate]

Well, I know home is really important because I went to your solstice party over the summer, which was a lot of fun. You had it at your Home Soul, which was wonderful. And then you also had your presentation there during New York Fashion Week.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Yes, well, so Dynasty and I had our showroom in my old apartment further into Bed Stuy, closer to where Dynasty lives in Bushwick. So it's always been this creating a space that felt familiar and home to the visitors that would come anyway. So when I was thinking about a place, I was thinking of enough space to be able to create a zone for the atelier and for the ready to wear clothing, jewelry, and have its own space and then a whole landscape. And then also I wanted to then pivot and think about our artwork and us as artists and our sculptures and our textile designs. Dynasty and I separately, respectively, those places where that can live and be exhibited in its own space that was separate from the atelier and the showroom so that it wasn't confused with one another. Like that was that space and then this was another space and then, you know, a place to live at the same time. So, you know, it's kind of a more avant garde space of, I think, a mom and pop, you know, like when you think of a place that's like on the bottom floor and then you live upstairs. But how do we make it, you know, bedside brownstone?

[Nicole Phelps]

More after the break.

[Nomi Frye]

I'm Nomi Frye.

[Dynasty Ogun]

I'm Vincent Cunningham.

[Nicole Phelps]

I'm Alex Schwartz and we are Critics at Large, a podcast from the New Yorker. Guys, what do we do on the show every week?

[Dynasty Ogun]

We look into the startling maw of.

[Sol Ogun]

Our culture and try to figure something out.

[Nicole Phelps]

That's right. We take something that's going on in the culture now. Maybe it's a movie, maybe it's a book, maybe it's just kind of a trend that we floating in the ether.

[Nomi Frye]

And we expand it across culture as kind of a pattern or a template.

[Dynasty Ogun]

We talked about the midlife crisis, starting with a new book by Miranda July.

[Sol Ogun]

But then we kind of ended up.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Talking about Dante's Inferno.

[Nomi Frye]

You know, we talked about Kate Middleton, her so called disappearance. And from that we moved into right wing conspiracy theories.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Alex basically promised to explain to me.

[Sol Ogun]

Why everybody likes the Beatles.

[Nicole Phelps]

You know, We've also noticed that advice is everywhere. Advice columns, advice giving. And we kind of want to look at why. Join us on Critics at Large from the New Yorker. New episodes drop every Thursday. Follow wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nomi Frye]

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[Nicole Phelps]

Speaking of your presentation during New York Fashion Week in September, it was very immersive. You had tarot card reader, a beautiful tarot card reader. Absolutely. Astrology is part of your work. I want you to talk a little bit about that, how those other systems or mediums or things sort of weave into the jewelry and clothes you make.

[Sol Ogun]

Oh, I mean it. It interweaves seamlessly. We utilize that in our everyday waking. We like to highlight it in our works. I think highlighting it in our work is an afterthought. The way in which we do and carry our work is always research, study, research, study, apply. And then when it comes to the metaphysics, the mysticism, I think that that's also something that we bring in to ourselves. And then it becomes something as an afterthought in the way in which we showcase our work for the show. It was easy to do it because it's something that we always utilize, something that we always bring into our everyday life and the way in which we shared the story. We had an amazing art director, Cynthia Cervantes, who she's able to help us showcase and share our story and she was able to Bring that in. She was able to speak the language in a way that it highlighted what we do on a normal basis.

[Mark Holgate]

It was wonderful to get a tarot reading, sadly. Well, it was great. I have to say, though, I actually do need to get her name and number or email so I can reach out to her because I don't have a few. Because we could only get. We only had time to get one card turned over. I got a very good one. It was kind of amazing.

[Dynasty Ogun]

He was like, tell me more.

[Mark Holgate]

I was a little like that. I had to leave. But sadly, I think, Nicole, you got.

[Nicole Phelps]

I really liked mine too.

[Mark Holgate]

It was great.

[Nicole Phelps]

I took a picture of it.

[Mark Holgate]

It was great.

[Sol Ogun]

Amazing.

[Mark Holgate]

Maybe, but maybe you told her, tell them really good things.

[Sol Ogun]

Really good things. Even if it was real things that didn't seem like they were quote, unquote good. They were insightful.

[Nicole Phelps]

Yes, she was very insightful.

[Sol Ogun]

It lets you know what moves that you need to make next.

[Mark Holgate]

It was very perceptive.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Do you want to share what your tarot said?

[Mark Holgate]

It was a card about community and the importance of community and being part of a community, which actually I thought was very appropriate given that we were there to see you, your work, both of your work, but also because we were so immersed in your community at that point. And of course, then thinking about the community of the cvff, the CFDA Vogue Fashion Fund too. It's a real community. And I'd actually love to ask you a little bit about that, what it was like, because you also, you know, and we talked about the competition and how you felt as you kind of were through it. But it also does create this moment of being with other designers and being part of a group of creatives, of community. Community.

[Sol Ogun]

I think that it inspired us to engage with our community. I mean, we do. We engage with our community so often. I think it was just highlighting engagement with community. It was highlighting.

[Mark Holgate]

It probably expanded your community, right? Because you do have a lot of. I mean, a lot of people.

[Sol Ogun]

It expanded our community so much. And it also offered us the opportunity to ask questions when it needed to be and to feel like things that we felt like we knew. What does that actually look like, to know it? I think that the things you don't know, because that's what I mean by that. That's what I mean by that.

[Dynasty Ogun]

You only know what you know.

[Sol Ogun]

Exactly. So to ask question was showing a sense of vulnerability that we wanted to. Wanted to know more. We wanted to know more. What helped us propel us and to win, obviously, but to go beyond winning, what happens after you win? What happens when you take it there and then you want to take it further? I think that was amazing with all of our. When we had our. When people came to our spaces, I think that intricate. Yeah, the judges. When the judges came to our spaces, I feel like even if we had our peers come to the spaces, that would have been really interesting. I think that might be something that you might want to throw in for next time.

[Mark Holgate]

That's a good idea, actually.

[Nicole Phelps]

That's a great idea.

[Mark Holgate]

So everyone gets to. No, but you're right. Cause I never underestimate, I think any of us do on the committee, that it's quite a vulnerable act to have to open up and reveal your work and reveal your story and talk about what drives you and inspires you and what kind of powers you through to kind of move forward and create the way you do.

[Sol Ogun]

Exactly.

[Mark Holgate]

That does require a moment of just being.

[Sol Ogun]

And there's strength in that. I think there's strength and power in vulnerability. And I think that the fact that we've all made ourselves vulnerable to individuals who had the hand in what was next for us was. Was powerful. I think that everyone who showcased that, I think that was just a powerful moment for us. I think that was as powerful as the announcements to be there, to be there with others and, like, you know, showcasing around and not trying to make a sale, but also, like, Somal was always trying to make a sale. What do you got?

[Nicole Phelps]

That is a very good note. And we will take that back to the cfda. The finalists are gonna go visit each other. Each other. But on that note, what would you tell designers who applied to the Fashion Fund next year? Is there any advice you would give other aspiring talents?

[Dynasty Ogun]

What was interesting about this is that this is the first time Dynasty and I applied, and we had been told to apply before, but I think there was a level of having your ducks in a row, having your. And it's not that you have everything all together. Obviously, you're still coming to learn, you're still coming to explore and be open and vulnerable, like Dynasty said, but having certain things in order, like, specifically your finances. Right. Like, we had heard from, like, other previous finalists about, you know, being really great and innovative in design, and the other aspect isn't together. So it really. That locked in on strengthening. And again, it's not about just making a lot of money, but it's knowing what you're making is knowing what it is that you're putting out and how the return is, because, you know the glamour of designing beautiful clothes and beautiful jewelry is there. We love that. Then there should be some type of glamour in the way that your finance is being run so that you're able to sustain yourself and make a company that is not only sustaining you, but you're also employing other people. You also know where your material is coming from. You know who you're working with. Like, all these things that we, I think, are blindsided to because we're artists in the beginning of things that can. And that's just not just to apply through Vogue Fashion Fund. It's also just for your company. Right. Just like, even if you decide not to apply or not. But it's just. I think those are important elements to have some kind of understanding of the ins and outs of business.

[Mark Holgate]

Well, I think that's a really good point and dynasty to both of you, because, you know, I remember years ago, Telfar applied, and I remember people kept saying to me, but Telfar's been around for ages. And, like, kind of saying, why didn't we have him sooner? And I said, well, Telfar only applied this year, and Telfar weren't getting any money together. Telfar. Well, I think Telfar had gone through lots of different iterations. He'd been working more in the art world, and then he decided maybe to work more in the fashion arena. I was thrilled he did the fund. I was even more thrilled that he won. But sometimes, you know, it takes time. And it's. I think, for all the points that you're saying, all the reasons that you're saying, so sometimes you get to a point, you're like, this is the moment. This is the right time for us to do it.

[Sol Ogun]

I was gonna also add on to what Sol is saying, is that being confident in what you're doing, I think that the fact that Sol and I, we came in on the first trial and then we won, it's so profound. It's so profound. It's so now. But it comes into everything that we were doing. It comes into getting our business together. It comes into getting our identity and what we needed to know about ourselves as we were applying, as we were showcasing, as we were sharing our muses. They also reflected who we were as a brand and also reflect. And we can cultivate that in a way where our everyday customer or client can come into and reflect on that brand. And I think that deals a lot with the confidence in who you are as a structure. And I think that our confidence as a structure, as us getting our things together, getting our ducks In a row, it really showcased that, I think that anyone who's coming in, who's applying, I would suggest that they build the confidence. But by building confidence, confidence is not something that you're necessarily automatically born with. You can. You can build on that, and you can build on that through your work. You can build on that through the business level, the business aspect. You can build on that. Who your clientele looks like, who.

[Dynasty Ogun]

And also building on, through working through the things that you don't want to work, the uncomfortable things, help build the confidence. So help those things that you, quote, unquote, think that you're lacking in, if you can focus some type of attention and energy on the adversity or on the lack or something like that, that is going to build because it gets you over the hill. It gets you over the hump. So if you're so focused on the things that you're good at, yeah, of course you're gonna have confidence in that because.

[Sol Ogun]

Because then when you're coming up against what competition looks like, you're not the only person that's there. There's gonna be nine or 10 more people who are going to show you how to get up that hill. Mm.

[Nicole Phelps]

You have had a really big couple of months. In addition to winning the Fashion Fund, you have also. You learned earlier this month, I think, that you have pieces in the Costume Institute's upcoming exhibition, Super Fine Tailoring Black Style. So can you tell us what pieces are in the show and how it feels to be part of this landmark exhibition that's coming up next year?

[Sol Ogun]

So I was gonna tell you what pieces are on the show. I'm gonna tell you how.

[Dynasty Ogun]

So the pieces that are in the show are our namespell necklace, which is something that we made during our show for breakfast in 2022. And basically what it is, it's playing on the nameplate necklace and repeated many times, and was inspired by our mother's nameplate that she probably got made in the 80s. So they don't do that particular typography anymore. So we wanted to play on that, that it's rare, but name is Althea. And when we made it, we wanted to echo her name. This is after she passed. So it was basically the. The concept of saying her name over and over and over. So that felt like a beautiful thing. So that's the name spell. And we also have our Kalinago medallion. And that's also in reference to. I mean, I feel like it's all about mom in this one, but it's a Reference to. It's a reference to this indigenous tribe in Dominica that is the last of the indigenous tribe throughout the Caribbean. So there's. I think it's about 0.5% left of this tribe, and they're all in Dominica, which is where our mom is from. And we created this storyline of, like, this indigenous royal family who had to. Who essentially had to escape the colonialism of the Columbus colonialism. And when they escaped, they left these coins to show that there was this actual royal family that existed. So that's a storyline that we created. Boom. And then we also have our Le Bully on coins, which I should look out for later. And what that is is us creating our own gold currency. And they are all 10 grams of gold, and it has. They're each numbered in codes. Some people get them custom made. And on the other side is a motif of our mother, again immortalizing our mother's image. So those are the three pieces that are there. And I think they chose those because they represent a bridge between what we consider Danny in the times of, like, the 30s, the 1800s, and what we consider dandy now. So it was playing on the contemporary idea of the dandy as well as a vintage concept of the dandy. You know, I mean, because I used to be a dandy back in the.

[Sol Ogun]

Day to add on when soul was into rap. She has a whole song called the Dandy. It was epic.

[Nicole Phelps]

I do we need that. So I got for the party.

[Mark Holgate]

We need to hear it.

[Sol Ogun]

We need to hear it right now. I know about Heart. I know about her. To this day I do.

[Mark Holgate]

Can you tell me?

[Dynasty Ogun]

No, but don't spit it. I'm blushing. It's like I can't help.

[Sol Ogun]

These are the cards my hands were dealt with so even in the dark my threads are tighter than the virgin the call is really urgent. Tie straighter than a perm so it's permanent. Flynn is called me queen or royal highness. Fitted caps are not my problem. It's the wackness all behind it. So when we get in, you know, we fly in, splash something, something, something, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Ah, I'll know the rest.

[Dynasty Ogun]

I know the rest. Ow.

[Sol Ogun]

So hyper. She's, like, blushing. She's blushing.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Turning to grace. I wrote that in probably what year?

[Sol Ogun]

2007.

[Dynasty Ogun]

But how do you feel about it being at the Met?

[Sol Ogun]

Oh, I mean, wow. It's at the Met. I mean, you know, we can dress you guys. Whoever's hearing this, we can dress you. It feels. It feels. I mean, this is an amazing feeling. We feel elated. We feel honored to. I mean. And it's right on time. It's right on time and it's a little bit forward. The piece that we actually did with Joey was so. We wasn't even thinking about that. We. We got that back in July. That was in July. And it was announced, what, two days before the announcement. So we've been weaving, we've been working towards it. I guess it's 20. It's 20 years. It's 20 years in the making.

[Nicole Phelps]

Well, thank you both so much for coming here and congratulations.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Thank you, guys.

[Mark Holgate]

Congratulations. Congratulations, Dynasty. We're so happy.

[Dynasty Ogun]

Thank you for having us.

[Sol Ogun]

Thanks for having. This was so much fun.

[Nicole Phelps]

That's it for the Run Through. See you next week.

[Nomi Frye]

The Run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma and Joanna Solotarov. It's engineered by Jake Loomis and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman. Stephanie Karaoke is our executive producer and Chris Bannon is Conde Nast's head of Global audio.

[Sol Ogun]

From prx.