Naja‘s Fall collection is called “Courtesan,” is inspired by the French Courtesans of the 1890’s.

If you weren’t aware, the Courtesans were women who seduced the world with their charm, wit and style and were considered some of the most liberated women on earth. They became muses for artists, married kings, and came to occupy important positions in history. One of the most famous courtesans, Kiki de Montparnasse (nee Alice Prin) was the inspiration for Max Ernst, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray. Les Femmes D’Algers, a painting by Picasso of nude Courtesans is the most expensive contemporary artwork ever sold. The Courtesans inspired men and they ruled them.

This is a theme that carries through all of Naja’s collections: the empowered woman. Naja’s courtesan collection is elegant, playful and seductive, in the style of the Courtesans. Boning, which is present throughout the collection evokes the corsets of the time. Old french wall-paper prints in soft pinks, and black lace are whimsically combined with black and white houndstooth and cut outs to give it a modern flare. The interior print, always a surprise at Naja, is all graffiti skulls.

The collection reminds us that on the outside the Courtesans might have looked sexy and delicate, but on the inside they were strong as all women are.

www.naja.co